Berlin WelcomeCard
Nov 20, 2014, 9:30 am
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
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Berlin WelcomeCard
I purchased a Berlin WelcomeCard before a recent trip so that I could start my travels from Schönefeld airport on the S-Bahn without hassle.
It's entirely my fault that I arrived in Germany with the WelcomeCard booklet but without the ticket itself - so I had to buy a new one. (And that was on the day when both DB and the Berlin S-Bahn was on strike!)
I was surprised by two things when I contacted the Visit Berlin people to ask for help (after I got home to find the original waiting for me):
1. They can't offer any kind of credit against a future trip.
2. When I pressed for a more sympathetic response, I was told to take the ticket with the invoice to a downtown Berlin office before May 2015 when they'll consider swapping for 2015 passes on payment of the difference. (So if I decide to take up this offer I have to pay separately to get from the airport and I might get help.)
Of course, they're absolutely within their rights to insist on sticking to terms and conditions and the crazy restrictions on activation and use of a 2014 card into 2015 (just look on the website to see the equations), but what kind of message does failure to help a visitor with a straightforward customer service issue send? It ain't "Welcome"!
The moral of this tale is that if you want to buy a visitor pass, buy it when you arrive.
It's entirely my fault that I arrived in Germany with the WelcomeCard booklet but without the ticket itself - so I had to buy a new one. (And that was on the day when both DB and the Berlin S-Bahn was on strike!)
I was surprised by two things when I contacted the Visit Berlin people to ask for help (after I got home to find the original waiting for me):
1. They can't offer any kind of credit against a future trip.
2. When I pressed for a more sympathetic response, I was told to take the ticket with the invoice to a downtown Berlin office before May 2015 when they'll consider swapping for 2015 passes on payment of the difference. (So if I decide to take up this offer I have to pay separately to get from the airport and I might get help.)
Of course, they're absolutely within their rights to insist on sticking to terms and conditions and the crazy restrictions on activation and use of a 2014 card into 2015 (just look on the website to see the equations), but what kind of message does failure to help a visitor with a straightforward customer service issue send? It ain't "Welcome"!
The moral of this tale is that if you want to buy a visitor pass, buy it when you arrive.
Last edited by bernardh; Nov 20, 2014 at 9:36 am
Nov 20, 2014, 4:11 pm
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,300
so you buy it online?
How do you get the Ticket?
Before i fly to barcolna i got it online to. The Problem there is no way to exchance on the Airport so i payed the train twice...
Day Ticket: EUR 6,70
Berlin WelcomeCard - 48 EUR 18,50
2x Day Ticket = 13,40€
Berlin WelcomeCard - 72h EUR 25,50
3x Day Ticket = 20,10€
How do you get the Ticket?
Before i fly to barcolna i got it online to. The Problem there is no way to exchance on the Airport so i payed the train twice...
Day Ticket: EUR 6,70
Berlin WelcomeCard - 48 EUR 18,50
2x Day Ticket = 13,40€
Berlin WelcomeCard - 72h EUR 25,50
3x Day Ticket = 20,10€
Nov 20, 2014, 4:19 pm
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
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I bought the ticket through the tourist board's website and it was shipped to me.
I did NOT buy a voucher, so I have the actual ticket. There was no question of exchange being needed at the airport.
I did NOT buy a voucher, so I have the actual ticket. There was no question of exchange being needed at the airport.
Nov 20, 2014, 4:23 pm
#5
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Nov 20, 2014, 4:31 pm
#6
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Do you was in one of this Stores: http://www.visitberlin.de/de/planen/...-informationen ?
Nov 20, 2014, 4:33 pm
#7
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Do you was in one of this Stores: http://www.visitberlin.de/de/planen/...-informationen ?
Nov 20, 2014, 4:49 pm
#11
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I am simply asking to be able to use it in the future. (Beyond the end of 2014.) I do not want money.
It is a simple customer service issue that most organisations - especially one which welcomes visitors - would deal with in a couple of seconds.
Nov 20, 2014, 4:54 pm
#12
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File this in the no good deed goes unpunished box.
OP chose to buy in advance, the terms are clear and he chose to leave the thing back in the UK.
Not one whit of an obligation to replace the ticket, but they will if he brings it to the office when he is next in Berlin. His sole penalty will be having to eat the cost of the airport-downtown.
Can assure you that this wouldn't be handled quite so nicely for a visitor to NYC, LON or TKY.
Perhaps a change to the thread title, "I made an error an am getting what I'm not due to make me feel welcome."
OP chose to buy in advance, the terms are clear and he chose to leave the thing back in the UK.
Not one whit of an obligation to replace the ticket, but they will if he brings it to the office when he is next in Berlin. His sole penalty will be having to eat the cost of the airport-downtown.
Can assure you that this wouldn't be handled quite so nicely for a visitor to NYC, LON or TKY.
Perhaps a change to the thread title, "I made an error an am getting what I'm not due to make me feel welcome."
Nov 20, 2014, 5:00 pm
#13
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 420
File this in the no good deed goes unpunished box.
OP chose to buy in advance, the terms are clear and he chose to leave the thing back in the UK.
Not one whit of an obligation to replace the ticket, but they will if he brings it to the office when he is next in Berlin. His sole penalty will be having to eat the cost of the airport-downtown.
Can assure you that this wouldn't be handled quite so nicely for a visitor to NYC, LON or TKY.
Perhaps a change to the thread title, "I made an error an am getting what I'm not due to make me feel welcome."
OP chose to buy in advance, the terms are clear and he chose to leave the thing back in the UK.
Not one whit of an obligation to replace the ticket, but they will if he brings it to the office when he is next in Berlin. His sole penalty will be having to eat the cost of the airport-downtown.
Can assure you that this wouldn't be handled quite so nicely for a visitor to NYC, LON or TKY.
Perhaps a change to the thread title, "I made an error an am getting what I'm not due to make me feel welcome."
I didn't say anything other than I made a stupid mistake. (Oh and 'chose' is a somewhat idiotic way to characterise a mistake - but I don't expect you have ever made one.)
I have not been promised any resolution - just a maybe.
The company - or whatever it is - was quite happy to deal with me by web and mail when it was selling me the ticket in the first place.
I am asking for a simple goodwill gesture (at my cost). I can assure YOU that this would be the case in similar circumstances in London.
Nov 20, 2014, 9:26 pm
#15
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My advice to anyone would be not to by the Welcome Card in the first place. Unless one plans on spending most of their 48 or 72 hours in Berlin going to museums. As the regular passes are about 1/3 less. However, if one still wants to get one, they sell them at a multiple number of vending machines at the airport and train station. Moreover, there is a manned counter for the BVG at the airport open during normal hours.