European Rail Travel - City Night Line - can you pay for an "aufpreis" (upgrade) on board?

Short version:

DB train station staff sold me the wrong ticket - a second class ticket from Rome to Munich. I didn't have time to fix the problem before leaving on my trip to Italy. I'm taking the train back to Germany in two days and need a first class ticket from Rome to Munich. I have been unsuccessful at getting the train station personnel in Italy to help, nor have the DB internet or phone service personnel been able to help.

Is it possible to pay the difference between a second class ticket and a first class ticket on board the City Night Line train? My reservation w/ appropriate Zuschlag has already been booked & paid for.

Long version:

I bought a CNL train ticket with a reservation for a deluxe double sleeper accommodation last week, in Kaiserslautern. Travel date is this Sunday (2 days from now).

I had wanted to buy a deluxe single but by the time I got to the station (bahn.com wouldn't book my particular itinerary online), only a shared compartment was available. It's still a deluxe double, though, which requires a first class ticket.

At the station, the woman selling me the ticket insisted that I needed a second class ticket since I had to share a room. This got to the point that she called her colleague over who also insisted I didn't need a first class ticket. I should have brought up the CNL page on my phone right then to show her that I really did need a first class ticket but didn't think that quickly. Therefore, I got a second class ticket.

I am now in Rome, getting ready to go back to Germany in two days. I went to the station here and the not-so-helpful woman at the information desk told me "your train only has second class seats, so you only need a second class ticket". Also wrong.

I wrote to the Deutsche Bahn Italian help desk. They wrote back and said that while I needed a first class ticket, they couldn't help since I had purchased the ticket online. Well, I didn't purchase the ticket online but I don't have time to argue with them.

I called the Deutsche Bahn help desk from my mobile. They said I needed a first class ticket but weren't sure how I could get one from them, and put me on hold to speak to someone at their international desk. After 20 minutes it was getting expensive so I hung up.

I finally had the idea to call the Deutsche Bahn UK number and got another person who said I definitely needed a first class ticket, all I would need to pay is the "aufpreis", i.e. the difference between the two fares, but that she couldn't help me because there is no way the ticket would get to me in time. She said that I PROBABLY could pay an aufpreis to the conductor on the CNL train, but that she wasn't sure.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I expect to have to pay extra...I just don't want to get kicked off or be refused entry to the train.

I have no direct experience with your precise query, but:

- As you know, you do need a 1st class ticket for a deluxe sleeper, even a double berth. This is stated in the Citynightline brochure (http://www.citynightline.de/citynightline/view/mdb/citynightline/city_night_line_neu/info/MDB98494-webbrosch__re_en_2012.pdf) (in the fares table on page 16).

- I can't immediately find it in the Citynightline brochure, but I am fairly sure that it is possible to pay an accommodation aufpreis on the train (eg: if you have a ticket for a 2nd class seat, and once you're on the train decide you want to upgrade to a couchette, then if there's space available, they will charge you the appropriate aufpreis, and let you have a couchette berth). I haven't done this myself, but have been joined in a couchette compartment by someone else who had just done it. This implies that Citynightline are able to accept payment on the train (as you would expect)*.

- Given that you bought your ticket in good faith from a DB employee (who clearly stated you only need a 2nd class ticket, even when you queried this point), I think it would be slightly rude for the train crew not to accept it as it stands. (However, I am not sure what either DB's T&Cs, not relevant consumer legislation, would say on this point). Presumably you can prove that you bought the ticket and the reservation at the same time, which would indicate the sales agent made a mistake (rather it being you trying to game the system). However, even if the train crew ask you to pay the fare difference, I think it would be extremely rude of them to not to let you travel.

However, as stated, I have no direct experience of trying to do this.

* Thinking about it, I have also seen one (I think rather drunk) passenger tipped off a Citynightline, for refusing to pay the €10 aufpreis for a reclining seat, above the regular ticket price. However, the train crew had first spent a fairly long amount of time trying to convince him to pay, so they wouldn't have to throw him off - which again indicates both that they can accept payment on board, and that they are generally reluctant to kick people off, if they are willing to pay.

Thanks for your reply. The story ends happily, although strangely. I got on the train and asked the conductor if I should have a first class ticket. He said (in German), no, because this train doesn't have luxury quality."

Uh, ok. I got my own compartment with shower and toilet; I guess whoever had booked the shared space didn't show up. The only things I did notice that I think you would get with a 1st class ticket that I didn't get were a welcome drink and a table-served breakfast. I got mine in a bag.

That was fine as all I really wanted was the space. Funny how 3 DB employees and I and the CNL brochure all seem to think I need a 1st class ticket but 3 DB workers didn't. This seems unusually disorganized for Germany!

Bit late to be posting, I know. You can usually pay the aufpreis on the train. I have done it a few times, albeit on Switzerland-Germany routes. I usually ask before installing myself in the higher class seat, though.