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My rights

Train delay, cancellation, strike, Taxi or hotel bill: which rights can I make use of as a passenger?

My rights
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My rights for train delays

If a delay to your destination is foreseeable before or during the journey (for example, announced by the train staff, at the station, on the website or mobile application), you can ...

... After a 20 minutes delay, take another train, if the train is operated by Deutsche Bahn. It is best to get confirmation from the train or station staff.

If you have a ticket valid for the long-distance network (ICE, IC, EC or similar), you can travel on another train without any further formalities.

If you have a ticket valid for the regional network (RE, RB or similar), you can ...

  • ride without any further formalities with another train in the regional network.
  • ride also with a long-distance train. However, you will need a new ticket valid for this ticket class. This one will be either handed over at no extra cost by the railway company, or must be purchased first and can be fully refunded afterwards.

... After a 60 minutes delay, cancel your trip. Then you will get refunded:

  • For 100% of the price of a normal ticket
  • For a season ticket (jobticket, yearly, monthly and weekly seasonal ticket or similar) valid for the long-distance network (ICE, IC, EC and similar) a flat refund of €5.00 for 2nd class travelers, or €7.50 for 1st class travelers.
  • For a season ticket (job ticket or similar) valid for the regional network (RE, RB and similar) a flat refund of €1.50 for 2nd class travelers, or €2.25 for 1st class travelers. At least 2 or 3 claims should be submitted at the same time, so that the €4.00 minimum threshold can be reached.
  • For a Bahncard 100 a flat refund of €10.00 for 2nd class travelers, or €15.00 for 1st class travelers.

You can interrupt your journey at any station en-route. Then you will be fully refunded by the share of the price of the ticket corresponding to the unused segment of the trip. However, you will need a confirmation from the train or station staff.

You can interrupt your journey at any station en-route and return to your departure station for free. In this case, you will be fully refunded for the segment  of the price of the ticket corresponding to the unused part of the trip and the possible additional costs of the return journey if another ticket for the return journey had to be purchased, will be reimbursed. However, you will need a confirmation from the train or station staff.

If you arrive late to your destination, regardless of the reason for the delay, you are entitled to get compensated...

... With a normal ticket

  • 25% of the price of your ticket, starting after 60 minutes delay.
  • 50% of the price of your ticket, starting after 120 minutes delay.
  • No compensation below €4.00 will be paid. Therefore, the ticket should cost at least €16.00 for a delay of more than one hour or €8.00 for a delay over two hours.

... With a seasonal ticket (job ticket, yearly, monthly and weekly seasonal ticket) valid for the regional network (RE, RB and similar)

  • Up to a flat refund of €1.50 for 2nd class travelers, or €2.25 for 1st class travelers
  • Up to 25% of the price of the ticket can be refunded.
  • At least 2 or 3 claims shall be submitted at the same time, so that the €4.00 minimum threshold can be reached.

... With a seasonal ticket (job ticket, yearly, monthly and weekly seasonal ticket or similar) valid for the long-distance network (ICE, IC, EC and similar)

  • A flat refund of €5.00 for 2nd class travelers, or €7.50 for 1st class travelers.
  • Up to 25% of the price of the ticket can be refunded.

... With a Bahncard 100

  • A flat refund of €10.00 for 2nd class travelers or €15.00 for 1st class travelers.
  • Up to 25% of the Bahncard price can be reimbursed in total.

... with an Interrail Global Pass or an One-Country-Pass valid for Germany

  • If you have experienced at least 3 delays of over 60 minutes each (in EU-member states). The value of compensation depends of the price of your ticket. In addition, the claim form must be submitted your compensation request to the Eurail Group GIE within 3 months after the last valid day of your Interrail pass. In such a case, Robin-Zug cannot help you any further: you can find a compensation request form on the Eurail Group GIE website.
  • In case additional costs (Hotel, Taxi, etc.) have occured, these shall be refunded separately by Deutsche Bahn instead of Eurail Group GIE. Such a refund can be requested through a specific claim, in the best case with Robin-Zug.

My rights in case of train cancellation or missed connections

In the case that your train is cancelled before or during your trip, you can...

... Take another train

It is best to get a confirmation from the train or station staff.

  • If you have a ticket or a season ticket valid for the long -distance network (ICE, IC, EC or similar), you can use another train without any further formalities.
  • If you have a ticket or season ticket valid for the local network (RE, RB or similar) or season, you can ...
    • ride another regional train without any further formalities.
    • ride another train from the long-distance network (ICE, IC, EC or similar). However, you will need a new ticket valid for this product class. This one will either be handed over at no extra cost by the carrier or must purchased first and can be reimbursed afterwards.
  • If you arrive late to your final destination, you have the right to to be compensated…
    • With a normal ticket
      • Up to 25% of the ticket price, starting after 60 minutes delay.
      • Up to 50% of the ticket price, starting after 120 minutes delay.
      • No compensation below €4.00 will be paid. Therefore, the ticket should cost at least €16.00 for a delay of more than one hour or €8.00 for one a delay over two hours.
    • with a season ticket (job ticket or similar) valid for the regional network (RE, RB and similar)
      • a flat refund of €1.50 for 2nd class travelers, or €2.50 for 1st class travelers.
      • Up to 25% of the price of the ticket can be refunded.
      • At least 2 or 3 claims should be submitted at the same time, so that the €4 minimum threshold can be reached.
    • with a season ticket (job ticket or similar) valid for the long-distance network (ICE, IC, EC and similar)
      • a flat refund of €5.00 for 2nd class travelers, or €7.50 for 1st class travelers.
      • Up to 25% of the price of the ticket can be refunded.
    • with a Bahncard 100
      • a flat refund of €10.00 for 2nd class  travelers, or €15.00 for 1st class travelers.
      • Up to 25% of the price of the ticket can be refunded in total.

... interrupt your journey at any station en-route.

Then you will be fully refunded by the share of the price of the ticket corresponding to the unused segment of the trip. However, you will need a confirmation from the train or station staff.

... interrupt your journey at any station en-route and return to your departure station for free.

Then you will be fully refunded by the share of the price of the unused segment of the trip and the possible additional costs of the return journey if another ticket had to be purchased. However, you will need a confirmation from the train or station staff.

My rights in case of DB strike

Since the judgment of the European Court of Justice C-509/11 on September 26, 2013, the carrier has to reimburse or compensate passengers for strikes.

Accordingly, you may also exercise your rights if you have been affected by a train delay or cancellation.

Check your rights now

In addition, this also applies for all other events out of his control as for example:

  • Bad weather or technical defects caused by bad weather
  • Vandalism
  • Floodings
  • Animals or persons on the tracks
  • Demonstrations
  • Ice or Snow
  • Mudslide
  • damages on a tunnel or a bridge
  • Defusing of a bomb
  • Accidents
  • Police or firefighting operations
  • Terrorism
  • Sanitary evacuation of a passenger of the train
  • Indian attacks, etc.

My rights in regards to a taxi expenses

A taxi receipt can be reimbursed by the carrier in the following cases, if ...

  • Your scheduled arrival at your destination station was between 24:00 and 5:00 o'clock AND you arrived with more than 60 minutes delay.
  • Or you could not proceed your journey before 24:00 due to a train delay or cancellation and the costs incurred were less than one night's stay.
  • Or you could not reach your final destination before 24:00 without the use of an alternative means of transportation due to the cancellation of the last scheduled train of the day.

It is necessary in this case to get in contact first with the train or station staff, so you do not have to pay the corresponding costs. Should this not be possible, you can organize it on your own, the associated costs being reimbursed only up to €80. However, this limit does not apply if the train is blocked on the track.

My rights in regards to a hotel bill

A hotel receipt can be reimbursed by the carrier if...

  • You can no longer proceed with your journey before 24:00 due to a train delay or cancellation, and the costs incurred are lower than traveling with  another mean of transportation.
  • Or proceeding on the same day may not be deemed reasonable considering your fitness (E.g.: age, pregnancy, infancy, disability, etc ...)

In this case it is necessary to get in contact first with the train or station staff, so you do not have to pay any corresponding cost. If this is not possible, you can organize it on your own and should be fully reimbursed for the costs incurred, provided they are deemed appropriate.

My rights in regards to additional travel expenses

Due to the delay or cancellation of a train, additional costs such as train tickets from another domestic or foreign carrier, a bus ticket, etc have been incurred. These costs can be fully reimbursed if you ...

  • Could not proceed with your journey before 24:00 because of a train delay or cancellation and the costs incurred were lower than one night's stay.,
  • Or could not reach your final destination before 24:00 due to the cancellation of the last scheduled train of the day or closure of the tracks, without the use of an alternative means of transportation.

It is necessary in these cases to get in contact first with the train or station staff, so that you do not have to pay any corresponding costs. Should this not be possible, you can organize it on your own, the associated costs to be reimbursed only up to €80. However, this limit does not apply if the train is blocked on the tracks.

My rights in regards to the limitation of time & liability

Claims related to train delays or cancellations get time-barred after one year starting from the date of ticket expiration (including seasonal tickets). The 3-year time limit for liability according to §195 BGB does not apply in this case, contrary to what you may read on obsolete pages. For example:

  • You were traveling on a delayed train on July 25, 2017 with a one-way ticket. You can make use of your passenger rights until the July 25, 2018 at the latest.
  • Your yearly seasonal ticket began on April 1, 2016 and ended on March 31, 2017. You can claim any delays  that occurred during this period until March 31, 2018.

Accordingly, it is best to claim as early as possible so that the claim doesn’t get lost.

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