Berlin (dpa/tmn)
Anyone who has planned a train journey before the weekend needs good nerves. Almost nothing works until noon today. In the afternoon it could jerk. What do those affected need to know?
Train travelers and commuters must expect massive restrictions today due to the warning strike announced by the EVG union. The walkout is scheduled to last until around 1 p.m. With the IC and ICE, you have to expect impairments until the evening, with regional traffic things should be back to normal sooner.
What rights do those affected have if the train does not run at all or only runs much later? Here is a brief overview:
Another train or your money back
Deutsche Bahn is again offering long-distance travelers a goodwill arrangement. Anyone who has bought a ticket for the day of the strike by Tuesday (April 18) can use it flexibly until Tuesday next week (April 25) – the train connection has been lifted, and you can also use Regio as an alternative.
Local transport tickets for the so-called Germany tariff for the day of the strike can also be used flexibly until next Tuesday.
Anyone who does not make use of these goodwill regulations can have the costs for the trip canceled due to the strike reimbursed. For tickets purchased online via a customer account, this can be done with an online application at “bahn.de” or in the “DB Navigator” app. Otherwise the only option is to ask for the costs back in writing.
You have to do that for that Passenger Rights Form Fill it out and send it by post to the Service Center Passenger Rights, 60647 Frankfurt/Main.
You can read the regulations in detail here: www.bahn.de/info/sonderkulanz
Rights in case of delay
In the event of train delays, train passengers can request compensation: if the train arrives between 60 and 119 minutes late at the destination station, it is 25 percent of the ticket price, and if the delay is more than 120 minutes, it is 50 percent.
In addition, the following applies: If the delay is more than one hour, the passenger must be offered “meals and refreshments in reasonable proportion to the waiting time”.
You can read about passenger rights in detail on the website of the arbitration board for local public transport: www.soep-online.de/rechte-bahnreisen/
You also have to apply for the compensation via an online application or the passenger rights form. It is advisable to have a delay confirmed by a Deutsche Bahn employee. If no one is available or if the queue at the train station is too long, those affected should at least take photos of the display boards as evidence. Screenshots in the app or from the website also help to document delays or train cancellations consumer advocates.
