Affordable mobility: Abolition of family reservation: pressure on train increases

Deutsche Bahn is becoming increasingly under pressure because of the abolition of family reservations on long -distance trips from this Sunday. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) has also been involved in the discussion. “I think it is a wrong signal,” he told the Editorial Network Germany.

The train remains a very family -friendly means of transport. “But I put a big question mark behind it whether you now have a favor at the main travel time and at a time when we have many tasks in front of us to make the railway trip more attractive,” said Schnieder. However, the government will not intervene, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport. It remains to be the task of the train to shape your collective bargaining policy yourself.

Railway increases reservation prices

The federal group had announced on Tuesday that families from the timetable change this Sunday can no longer reserve any number of seats for themselves and the children for a flat rate. Instead, all travelers – including children – have to pay for a seat reservation. In addition, the price for a reservation in the second class is 30 cents more expensive and is then 5.50 euros per place. In the first class, the fixed place then costs 6.90 euros instead of 6.50 euros.

Specifically, this means: Instead of the 10.40 euros for a family reservation, a family with two children will pay 22 euros in the future. 44 euros come together for back and forth.

Criticism does not discard even after days

There has been criticism from politicians and associations for days. In the meantime there are also several petitions with already thousands of signatures. “Especially in times when Deutsche Bahn is looking for more passengers for long -distance traffic, you should see how traveling becomes more attractive for everyone,” says the call to the VCD. “So far, this was possible through the family reservation: the seats could be booked free of charge for children under 14 years. The fact that this service should be canceled without replacement means higher costs.”

The first parliamentary managing director of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Steffen Bilger, told the “Bild” newspaper, with the abolition of the family reservation, the railway risks lightly a further loss of image.

The measure of all things affects those who rely on affordable mobility and could not do without seat reservations. “Train trips have to be family -friendly,” said Bilger. “If you want to inspire more people for the train, you don’t have to strengthen family -friendly offers.”

Bilger’s party friend, the deputy parliamentary group leader, Stephan Stracke, said the measure would come at the wrong time. “The summer holidays will start soon. I can well imagine that many families are now deciding on a train and would rather take the car.”

SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch told the editorial network Germany: “I hope that there is still a rethink. The train is not so attractive that you can simply afford such price jumps.”

Open letter – but train remains with the plans

The Association of German Amusement Parks and leisure companies even wrote an open letter to Deutsche Bahn. “Families and children are not only the backbone and the future of our society – they are also the railway customers of tomorrow,” it says. “Shouldn’t you do everything to offer as many children as possible unique rail experiences and to bind them emotionally to the train in the long term?”

However, regardless of the growing criticism, the railway had recently emphasized that the new regulation was captured. “We will no longer offer the family reservation from June 15,” said a group spokeswoman. The group emphasizes that children and adolescents up to and including 14 years accompanied the actual ticket.

Five percent of all long -distance travelers have so far booked family reservations. With 133.4 million travelers in the long -distance traffic of Deutsche Bahn last year, this would be around 6.7 million passengers who used this option.