Train delays in Germany - questions

[AlbertBeale]

I recently had major problems during some journeys using DB (interesting in themselves, perhaps, but no time for details now).

The questions I have at the moment are:
1. Is there any standard/automatic delay-repay type of compensation on DB? (So I know how much it's worth going to the bother of lengthy explanations/narratives.)
2. Is there a DB e-mail address to send paperwork to?

Thanks in advance to those of you who will - I'm sure - tell me what I need to know...

 

[Struner]

The man in seat #61?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Try this for starters (with link to claim form) :
https://www.bahn.de/en/view/booking-information/passenger-rights/index.shtml?dbkanal_007=L04_S02_D002_KIN0059_FLYOUT-BUCHUNGSINFORMATION-RECHTE _LZ01

I claimed last year for a 3-hour delay (OHLE power failure in Austria, but on a DB train/ticket) last year and got 50% of the (single) fare back.
This was fairly generous as half the journey was the next day and unaffected, but is still not as generous as our delay repay.
It might take a couple of weeks to process.
I think you can alternatively get a DB credit note, or even get your refund at a DB ATM, neither of which were practical for me.

The conductor came round with claim forms on the train* in my case, which have to be sent by snail mail to an address in Frankfurt.
I got payment by BACS into my account using its international banking code (probably shown on your statements).
You can't get it refunded via a credit card as you might expect (as that was how I paid for the ticket).

* this was pre-stamped, confirming a 120-minute plus delay on the ICE involved.

Hope this helps.

 

[30907]

DB follow EU standard rules which are less generous than most if not all TOCs but still worth having.

Didn't know you could get it refunded via BACS, I've always had the voucher code, and because of transaction costs that might be better value.

 

[k-c-p]

There ist no automated delay repay.

The ompensation rules are aus follows:

• 60min to 120min delay: 25% refund
• 120min or more: 50% refund

Refunds can only be requests in paper (the Form can be found at the link in the earlier posting). You have to submit the form and your ticket. Forms can be sent by post or you can hand them in at a ticket counter, where it will procesed right away.

You can choose between a refund in money or travel voucher. Vouchers are valid for a year and can be used online or at ticket machines.

If you go to a ticket counter and opt for a voucher and the train that caused your delay was run by Deutsche Bahn you will get a 20% add-on to your refund mount. If you keep the money in the system by opting for a voucher you get a little bonus .

Additionally, reservations you could not us because you missed a connecting train will be refunded. Even If you had a First class ticket which has a reservation included, you get a few quid refund for it.

If you mail in the form processing usually takes 2 to 4 weeks.

The form is not the most user-friendly document in the world, but usually worth the hassle. I took one to the station this morning and enjoy a pint atm that was paid with my delay repay money .

hth
Charly

 

[paddington]

To be pedantic, it would not be paid by BACS as those are transfers between UK banks in pounds. It was probably a SEPA Credit Transfer or maybe a SWIFT payment.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

To be pedantic, it would not be paid by BACS as those are transfers between UK banks in pounds. It was probably a SEPA Credit Transfer or maybe a SWIFT payment.

It just says "Bank Transfer" on the claim form, and CR (Credit) on the statement.
They want your IBAN (International Bank Account Number) and BIC (Bank Identifier Code), which in my case is on all my statements.
Importantly, there don't appear to be any currency conversion fees involved (paid in euros).

 

[AlbertBeale]

Thanks all for this. I'll give it a try. (I originally asked for this information from what-was-Loco2, who sold me the tickets, but they seemed to have no idea of the percentages etc that you've quoted.) Mind you, only 50% refund for over 2 hours' delay doesn't seem great ... I got back to London 21 hours late courtesy of delays on DB between Hamburg and Cologne. Still, the Cologne hotel, courtesy of DB, was pleasant, and having an hour or two in a country I hadn't planned to visit was OK too ... but even so.

 

[dutchflyer]

These are the standard amounts set by the EU for train delays. Strange that a specialised company would not know that.
IBAN and BIC are also standard sets for any bank-account in the EU. This may thus change as from today..........There have indeed been reports from people from CA or AU that such repayments to them cost more in fees as the actual amounts. I guess that HTL would have cost them far more as the amount due?
Note that as such this is a NEUTRAL system not run by DB, but by an office called ´Fahrgastrechte´ (travellers rights) due to the manymany TOCs in DE. In fact they also bill the company who caused the delay, as this might have been nonDB. Due to this it is very hard to make it automatic and as its DE, they do like enormously to put everything in written form on paper. They are thinking about changing it for the better, but that will take time-and more time etc.