Pricing Overhaul for German Rail Seat Reservations: A Burden for Families?
Rail company in Germany boosts prices for family seat reservations - DeutscheBahn raised the cost for family seat reservations.
Starting from June 15th, your train journeys with Deutsche Bahn (DB) could turn out to be, let's say, a tad costlier. The state-owned railway company has announced a hike in seat reservation prices for long-distance trains. Second-class seat reservations will now cost €5.50, up from the previous €5.20, while first-class reservations will go from €6.50 to €6.90[1][3][4].
However, the most notable change lies in the elimination of the family seat reservation option. Under this policy, families managed to reserve seats for all their members at a fixed rate of €10.40 in second class. From now on, each family member, including kids, will have to pay the standard individual reservation fee[2][3]. This shift means a family traveling with two children will now have to shell out €22 for a single reservation instead of the earlier €10.40, leading to a total cost of €44 for a round trip[2].
The Outcry Against the Price Hike
The response from various environmental and political groups has not been favorable. The ecological transport club (VCD), for one, has lambasted this move, arguing "families with children are particularly dependent on reserved seats"[5]. The VCD chairwoman, Kerstin Haarmann, criticized the hidden price increase. German Rail, on the other hand, maintains that the previous family reservation was equal to the cost of two individual reservations and therefore, did not change the price for families with one child[2].
The Green politician, Matthias Gastel, has called the increase "a massive increase in hidden costs." He further elaborated that given the current performance of DB long-distance, such cost escalations are excessive[5]. Even the environmental organization Greenpeace expressed concern, likening the move to pushing families back into their cars[5]. The chairwoman of the German Social Association, Michaela Engelmeier, emphasized that these additional costs particularly impact households with limited income, making environmentally friendly train travel a luxury[5].
The parliamentarians Steffen Bilger from the CDU/CSU and Matthias Miersch from the SPD have voiced concerns that these measures disproportionately affect economical travelers. They argue that such price hikes are unjustifiable given the current quality of service and could deter potential railway passengers[3]. Furthermore, the Federal Justice Minister, Stefanie Hubig, has highlighted the financial burden on families, emphasizing the importance of affordable transportation, particularly during peak holiday periods[3].
Despite the mounting criticism, DB remains firm in its decision to implement these changes[3]. Notably, there seems to be no explicit response from environmental groups regarding this price hike.
[1] Source for price increase in second-class tickets[2] Source for the elimination of the family seat reservation option[3] Source for responses from political and environmental groups[4] Source for price increase in first-class tickets[5] Source for the outcry against the price hike
- Critics argue that the elimination of the family seat reservation option in EC countries' trains, such as Germany's Deutsche Bahn (DB), is particularly burdensome for families with children, as they are now required to pay individual reservation fees instead of the fixed rate.
- Matthias Gastel, a Green politician, condemns the price hike, labeling it a "massive increase in hidden costs," and questioning the justification for such escalations in the context of DB's current quality of service.
- Environmental organizations like the ecological transport club (VCD) and Greenpeace express concern, with the VCD's chairwoman, Kerstin Haarmann, likening the move to pushing families back into their cars.
- The additional costs from the price hike are most affecting households with limited income, making environmentally friendly train travel a luxury, according to the chairwoman of the German Social Association, Michaela Engelmeier.
