If Deutsche Bahn goes on strike, chaos is inevitable. But what rights do passengers have in the event of delays and train cancellations? An overview.
Trains across Germany will be at a standstill from Wednesday. The warning strike by the railway and transport union EVG is once again causing chaos at German train stations. This often means major losses for passengers – both in terms of time and money.
If a train is delayed by more than an hour, rail passengers are entitled to a partial refund of their ticket. But not all Deutsche Bahn customers still know what they are entitled to in the event of a train delay or complete cancellation. The star provides answers to the most important questions.
Tariff conflict
Means with (side) effects: the successes of the GDL strikes in the past
When is there compensation?
If the delay is more than 60 minutes, the train has to pay. The decisive factor is the difference between the planned and actual arrival time at the destination. This also applies if you use several trains from different railway companies and if you miss connecting trains. For example, if the regional express from Cottbus to Berlin Central Station to the ICE to Hanover is delayed and the traveler can only continue on the next ICE an hour later, compensation is due.
However, since last summer, rail companies in the EU no longer have to pay compensation for train cancellations and delays if the reason is extraordinary circumstances over which they have no influence: these are, for example, extreme weather, police operations, cable thefts, emergency operations on the train or people on the train tracks.
What reimbursement amounts can I expect?
Train passengers are entitled to a refund of 25 percent of the fare for delays of 60 minutes or more, and 50 percent for delays of 120 minutes or more.
Where do I get confirmation?
The train attendants used pliers to document the date and train number on the ticket when validating it. Digital tickets on the smartphone are also stored in the system. The conductors and employees at the DB service points confirm the delays. Important: A refund is now possible even without this certificate. The service centers have access to all rail travel data, including verifiable delays.
Which form do I need?
The passenger rights form. On the two-sided A4 paper, the customer enters which ticket he used, the planned and actual itinerary and the desired type of reimbursement. The form is available from the conductor and at the travel center. The completed form must be submitted to the travel center together with the original ticket or copy of the season ticket. It can also be sent by post to the Passenger Rights Service Center in 60647 Frankfurt am Main. The Passenger rights form is also available online and must be printed out and filled out.
Does the refund also work cashless?
There are three options for reimbursement: cash at the counter, transfer to the specified bank account or in the form of a voucher that is valid for one year. The latter can be redeemed when purchasing the next ticket at the counter, at the machine or online.
Can I also assert my claim for compensation online?
Yes, but only if the ticket for the trip for which claims are submitted was purchased via a customer account or stored in the customer account, compensation can be claimed by logging in to bahn.de or using the “DB Navigator” app be requested.
What exceptions are there?
There is a trivial limit of four euros. If the compensation is less than this, nothing will be reimbursed. The railway assumes no liability in cases for which it cannot do anything, such as personal injury (suicide) on the route or the passenger’s own fault.
In contrast to air travelers, rail customers are entitled to compensation or reimbursement of costs even in the event of a strike.
Is there also a refund in the event of severe weather?
These also apply in capricious weather Passenger rights, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided in 2013. For example, if a storm affects rail traffic, there is still compensation for delays.
Do season ticket holders also receive a refund?
The railway has set flat-rate compensation amounts for this group of people. For a delay of 60 minutes, local transport season ticket holders receive a credit of 1.50 euros. So you have to claim at least three such delays in order to overcome the trivial limit of four euros. Holders of long-distance season tickets and the Bahncard 100 receive five euros for every 60-minute delay.
By what deadline do I have to submit my application?
The rail customer has the opportunity to register their passenger rights form three months after the expiry of their ticket.
Can I also submit a taxi receipt?
If the train arrives at its destination between midnight and 5 a.m. according to the timetable and a delay of 60 minutes is expected, travelers can use a bus or taxi instead. A taxi receipt will be reimbursed up to a maximum of 80 euros.
Will a hotel bill also be reimbursed?
If the train journey can no longer be continued due to a delay with the last scheduled connection of the day, “reasonable overnight accommodation costs” for a hotel will be reimbursed. The railway company has the right to limit accommodation in the hotel to a maximum of three nights.
Is there a refund if you do not travel by train?
If there is a delay of more than 60 minutes before the start of the journey, the passenger can cancel their journey and have the full fare refunded – if they are using a partial route, the unused portion.
If there are delays, can I take an ICE train instead of the regional express?
If a train delay of at least 20 minutes is announced, passengers are allowed to change to a higher quality train that does not require a reservation. In practice, however, the system is complicated: “Customers with a local transport ticket must first have a valid long-distance transport ticket or the product transfer” – e.g. B. from the Regional Express to the ICE – pay, the railway says. The customer can then have the difference refunded. The regulation does not apply to “significantly discounted tickets”, such as the Schöne-Wochenende-Ticket or Landes-Ticket.
Who can I contact if my application has been rejected?
If you have any complaints about decisions made by the Passenger Rights Service Center, you can contact them Arbitration board for public transport eV (söp) turn. The address: Fasanenstraße 81, 10623 Berlin. Tel. 030 – 6 44 99 330, email: kontakt(at)soep-online.de
Where can I find more information on the internet?
Deutsche Bahn passenger pages: www.bahn.de/fahrgastrechte
Railway passenger rights form: to the online form
Arbitration board for public transport: www.soep-online.de
Note: This article has been revised since it was first published