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Families under pressure: DB abolishes reservations and prices rise!
From June 15, 2023, a far-reaching change will come into force at Deutsche Bahn that will affect families while traveling. The long-standing family fare regulation will be abolished, and from now on every person, no matter how small, will need their own seat ticket. What does this mean specifically for families? A family of four will have to dig deep into their pockets for seat reservations in the future. Before the rule change, families only paid 10.40 euros for a shared reservation. In the future the calculation will look completely different. For a family with two adults and two children, the costs add up to an impressive 22 euros for a reservation. Speak outward and return journey…
Families under pressure: DB abolishes reservations and prices rise!
From June 15, 2023, a far-reaching change will come into force at Deutsche Bahn that will affect families while traveling. The long-standing family fare regulation will be abolished, and from now on every person, no matter how small, will need their own seat ticket. What does this mean specifically for families? A family of four will have to dig deep into their pockets for seat reservations in the future.
Before the rule change, families only paid 10.40 euros for a shared reservation. In the future the calculation will look completely different. For a family with two adults and two children, the costs add up to an impressive 22 euros for a reservation. The return journey costs a total of 44 euros – and that’s just for seat reservations! This is in stark contrast to previous conditions that allowed many to travel in comfort.
Price increase and criticism
But that's not all: the prices for seat reservations themselves are also increasing. In second class, travelers now have to pay 5.50 euros, an increase of 30 cents. First class costs 6.90 euros, instead of the previous 6.50 euros. These price adjustments come just after another increase in December, causing discontent among many families. Critics, such as the ecological transport club VCD, agree: the elimination of family reservations is seen as disadvantageous for family trips.
The VCD vehemently calls for the preservation of this important offer and emphasizes that families in particular rely on reserved seats. The Pro Bahn passenger association also expresses its concerns and would like to see environmentally friendly trips finally made more attractively priced for families. Deutsche Bahn's argument that children up to 14 years of age can travel for free when accompanied by an adult does not apply to many families, as reservations are still due.
Who are those affected?
Despite all the excitement, Deutsche Bahn does not see the loss of family reservations as being that serious. According to a current estimate, only 5% of long-distance travelers (around 6.7 million passengers) have so far used this offer. These are primarily single-parent constellations, which supports the railway's argument that the effects of the elimination would be small.
After all, it remains interesting to see how the changes will affect families' travel behavior. It remains to be hoped that this decision will be reconsidered despite the votes of the associations and the public. The trend toward saving could ultimately make long trips unattractive for some families.
Overall, it can be seen that the changes have a direct impact on family trips. In the future, it will be exciting to see how many people are deterred by this and whether there will perhaps be a rethinking process within Deutsche Bahn. This news should give all families preparing for their summer vacation something to think about.