If you only want to buy your ticket on the train, you have to pay a hefty surcharge on the long haul.
But that too will soon no longer be possible.
Berlin - The customers of Deutsche Bahn * will soon have to plan their trips more carefully.
From next year, passengers on long-distance trains will no longer be able to buy paper tickets.
Deutsche Bahn wants to abolish paper tickets
This option should no longer apply from January 1, 2022, the company confirmed on Tuesday a corresponding notice from the Railway and Transport Union (EVG).
According to the plans, travelers should book a digital ticket via the app or the train website from April up to ten minutes after departure, it said.
No board surcharge will be due during the transition period.
According to EVG, the railway had apparently already planned the change for October 1, but then postponed it to January 1, 2022 at the insistence of the union.
The EVG heavily criticized the plans on its website.
“We consider this entrepreneurial decision to be wrong.
In the end, we fear more potential for conflict on the trains for our colleagues. "
Deutsche Bahn defends ticket plans
Deutsche Bahn defended the change and referred to the expansion of the online ticket: “Spontaneous long-distance travelers will continue to have the option of buying a ticket on the train.” According to Deutsche Bahn, less than one percent of the Tickets sold on the train.
The board surcharge, which is due as a surcharge, is now 17 euros.
This had caused annoyance for many travelers.
In local transport and on the S-Bahn, tickets must be purchased before the journey.
The union called for a broad information campaign about the change.
Because the union fears conflicts if unsuspecting passengers want to redeem the train staff after the deadline.
(
dpa / utz
)
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen Digital editorial network.
List of rubric lists: © Rüdiger Wölk via www.imago-images.de