Higher Regional Court Frankfurt
Judgment: Bahn is not only allowed to sell tickets digitally
Deutsche Bahn wanted to drive out its cheapest tickets exclusively on digital ways. According to customer protests and a corresponding lawsuit, it is now analogous.
The train must continue to offer its tickets on paper. The Frankfurt Higher Regional Court prohibited the state-owned company to make savings or super savings price tickets dependent on the fact that customers name an email address or a mobile phone number (Az.: 6 UKI 14/24). From October 2023 to the timetable change on December 15, 2024, the railway had requested this information even if customers wanted to buy a ticket at the counter. The electronic ticket was then sent to the corresponding address.
In contrast, the Bundesverband (VZBV) consumer center has successfully sued. The 6th civil senate of the OLG Frankfurt has now legally decided. The ticket itself only serves to prove the payment of the transport contract. For this, private individuals could not be forced to reveal their data.
Simple solution at the switch
According to its own information, the railway has changed the process after customer complaints before the judgment. At the switch, customers can now receive an expression of their ticket without the data release. The cards at the counter could already be printed out beforehand, but were only available according to the data.
A company spokeswoman explains: “Even if there are very few people who do not have a mail address, we would like to continue to give them the opportunity to book savings price tickets.” However, it is also recommended to provide an email address to be able to inform customers, for example when changing tracks or delays. Austerity prices are still not available at machines.
VZBV director Ramona Pop describes the judgment as a success for consumer protection. She says: “A compulsion to disclose data when buying a ticket – this is not possible. Nobody can be excluded when driving.
dpa
Source: Stern
