DB info booth in Mittenwald was closed

Created: 01/21/2022, 11:00 am

By: Wolfgang Kunz

The DB information stand in Anja Döring's travel agency was closed.

©Wolfgang Kunz

Mittenwald – Deutsche Bahn ensures ticket sales in train stations, cities and smaller communities in around 2,700 travel agencies with a DB license.

However, no longer in Mittenwald, because the DB information stand set up in the train station by the Döring travel agency was closed on Monday, January 10th.

Manager Anja Döring explains the reasons. "Despite the increasing amount of work, DB has recently paid only minimal commissions for our work". Above all, the time-consuming research is largely responsible for the closure. "We also advised DB customers from Tyrol and the Upper Isar Valley," explains Döring, "nevertheless, DB was not willing to increase the flat-rate fee for our service, which had remained the same for years." Döring describes the steadily increasing amount of work with an example. “Many older passengers arrive with an online ticket that their children or grandchildren have printed out online. If replacement connections become necessary due to the train driver dispute, as in September 2021, we will be contacted and have to find time-consuming replacement connections".Despite the corona pandemic, her travel agency would always have gone along with DB. "In the last two years, our DB stand has always been open because we saw ourselves as the first point of contact for DB travelers in Mittenwald. This was not honored and in the end we even paid extra”.

Even the involvement of the market community and tourism GmbH did not help. At a meeting between Döring and Mayor Enrico Corongiu (SPD), Alpenwelt Managing Director Sabrina Blandau, a representative from DB management in Frankfurt let it be known that Deutsche Bahn was not prepared to increase the flat-rate remuneration. Instead, they would rather do without a DB information counter with a note to use the ticket machine.

A statement that caused astonishment and also a reaction from the community.

City hall chief Corongiu had a service stand set up in the station hall together with the tourist information and switched on the Bavarian community day.

He asked for a legal assessment regarding financial support for the travel agency Döring.

"Since such a promotion of a company is not legally permissible," Corongiu said, "it was considered that the Döring travel agency would be the first point of contact for tourist information and that this employment relationship would be remunerated with a monthly flat rate of 450 euros.

Before this possible variant could be approved by the supervisory board of Alpenwelt and the shareholders' meeting, Döring decided to close the DB stand completely.

"Converted, we would have worked for an effective hourly wage of just two euros - and that too in the spirit of Deutsche Bahn".

A bitter pill for all train travelers and holiday guests.

"For my loyal rail customers, I am infinitely sorry for this step," Döring regretted her understandable step, "but my travel agency remains open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and by appointment".