Pax Right on DB for 20min or more delays
 

I am pretty new to rails in Europe and use Deutsche Bahn time to time. One thing that happens a lot these days is delays!!! When I read the passenger right page on DB, it is a bit ambiguous and I was wondering if anyone could clarify the rules.

So if the train gets delayed for 20min or more, it says I can use an alternative one and pay (and reimbursed???) the fare differences IF REGIONAL. So I had a case yesterday: I have a discount ticket for EC (no change is allowed) but the train was expected to arrive at the destination 20 min later.

1. Now, can I use an earlier ICE train without paying the fare difference if I am arriving at the planned time? My reading on this is it is ok because ICE and EC are not regional trains.
2. But even if the original ticket was on regional bahn, I can still take it and pay the difference and get reimbursed???
3. And when can I use this 20min time frame (because they often show 10, 15 min even though it is actually it is 20 min in reality when the train arrives)

In any case, if one could explain (with examples?) what I can do with this discount ticket which doesn't allow change in train when a delay happens in general, would be tremendously helpful...

From the DB site:
use a different train for which no reservations are compulsory. Passengers who have a ticket for a regional train but use a higher quality train in such cases are first obliged to pay the additionally required ticket/supplement for the change of train and can subsequently claim for a refund of these costs. The foregoing regulation does not apply to tickets for a substantially reduced fare (e.g. Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket, Laender-Tickets).

I assume that you are referring to this;
http://www.bahn.de/p_en/view/booking...services.shtml

I have no direct experience of claiming so I can't be sure, but my interpretation is as follows.

If your train is scheduled to arrive 20mins+ later then you can take;

• The next available train (any route)
• Take a later train (with less or no delay)
• Use a different train which could be higher quality (IC/EC/ICE). The supplement would have to be paid and then claimed back

I would say that the 20mins refers to the arrival in your final destination not any intermediate or transfer stations.

I would also say that the train has to be advertised with a 20+ min delay. So if it is stated as 15mins late but you expect it to arrive at your station 20mins then you can't take an earlier train. Not until it is officially schedule to arrive 20mins late.

There are also more restrictions such as "...regulation does not apply to tickets for a substantially reduced fare (e.g. Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket, Laender-Tickets)."

If you are not sure, ask some staff at the station.

Also take a look at the claim form and consider "how would I fill this in". http://www.bahn.de/p_en/view/mdb/bah...2_20131227.pdf

If you think you can fill it in clearly enough, then you should be OK. Note that you have to record the train numbers in your claim.

thanks for the clarification. I have claimed once for 2h delay but nothing came back in two months, so I have less confidence in this "pay and claim" thing. Also, when I ask the train staff, often their english is not so good and they say completely different things depending on who you ask... One says yes you can, another say no you cannot etc So I am kinda lost trust in DB people...Another reason why I am here for a reliable answer...