Many Germans want to visit their relatives over Christmas – Deutsche Bahn has responded. What you should know about arriving by train.
Visiting relatives over Christmas: Deutsche Bahn is planning additional trips
Update from December 16, 2020: Although a hard corona lockdown has been in place in Germany since December 16, the contact restrictions are to be relaxed a little at Christmas. Therefore are allowed to Between December 24th and 26th a total of five people from different households will come together. Children up to the age of 14 are excluded.
The Deutsche Bahn responded to the easing and wants during the holidays 100 additional trips – especially on the main routes between the big cities. “That is twice as many special trains as are normally driven at Christmas,” said Berthold Huber, the board member for passenger transport Travelbook last Wednesday in Berlin. So the Long-distance transport are relieved, so that train travelers in Corona times can safely reach their relatives. With a total of 20,000 long-distance journeys offered per month, according to Peter Naumann, honorary chairman of the Pro Bahn passenger association, this is not a lot, “but it is precisely tailored to the particularly busy trains”. The additional trips will take place between December 18th and 27th.
In addition, the reservation options with Deutsche Bahn are to be limited. “For the winter months are basically only all window seats can be booked“According to a federal-state template that is available to the Reuters news agency. The Aisle seats should largely be blocked in the reservation system so that they cannot be reserved. In addition, only one seat per double seat should be reserved on all trains. In seating groups with a table, only the diagonally opposite seats can be occupied. In compartments with six seats, only two are reserved for one booking. However, if you want to travel with other people, you should be able to reserve seats next to each other in special areas.
“Corona lockdown”: No excursions, no visits to relatives – What happens to the train tickets I have booked?
Original message from October 30th: From November 2nd, all of them are for an initial period of four weeks Avoid private trips – be it a day trip or visiting relatives*. The government urges citizens to keep their contacts to a minimum. But can I cancel the train tickets I have already booked free of charge as a result?
“Corona Lockdown”: Can I cancel my train tickets free of charge?
While bookings of hotel rooms or holiday accommodation can be canceled free of charge due to the new lockdown regulations, the situation is completely different with train tickets. Lawyer Jan Bartholl reveals this to the online portal Travelbook: “Basically, the train does not have a tourist contract, but a transport contract. That means: If the destination of your journey is no longer applicable, but the train still allows you to do its part, namely the transport, it is not obliged to reimburse the ticket price Operator hope.
Also read: Mask refuser on the train: Deutsche Bahn now wants to take harder action.
Until when can train tickets be canceled free of charge?
At Deutsche Bahn, despite the corona pandemic and the new measures, the usual rules for cancellation. Is called: Saver fare tickets can be canceled up to one day before the first day of validity for a fee of ten euros. After that, cancellation is no longer possible. Flexpreis-Tickets can be exchanged or canceled free of charge before the first day of validity. From the first day of validity onwards, exchanges or cancellations are only possible for long-distance transport for a fee of 19 euros – for local transport for a fee of 17.50 euros. “We have been actively recommending booking a cancelable offer since spring,” a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn explains to the Travelbook portal. Furthermore, tickets are for Super saver price excluded from cancellation. Customers would be informed of this as early as the booking process. * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
Map of Germany: Coronavirus – The current situation
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