Families Facing Steep Hike in Train Seat Reservations: Say Goodbye to Affordable Family Seat Bookings on Deutsche Bahn
Family Rail Booking Rises Dramatically in Cost - Enhanced Rail Reservation Costs for Families: A Noteworthy Increase Ahead
Hey there! Got some bad news for the families who love to travel together on German trains. Starting this Sunday, the affordable family seat reservation is getting a big fat no from Deutsche Bahn. How's that for a family vacation ruiner, huh?
Let me break it down for ya. Families who wish to reserve seats for a cozy journey will need to stretch their pockets a tad more. The state-owned rail company ain't exactly breaking the news gently; they announced on their site that the much-loved family seat reservation is being axed with the change of timetable this weekend. And guess who's not happy? Ladies and gents, it's the associations, the parties, and, of course, the families with kids.
From now on, all passengers, yep, even the wee ones, will need to pay for reserving a seat. Oh, and the price is gonna go up too. The second-class seat reservation jumps from 5.20 euros to a whopping 5.50 euros, and the first-class reservation increases from 6.50 euros to 6.90 euros. You do the math. So instead of paying 10.40 euros for a family reservation, a family with two kiddos will need to fork over 22 euros for a single journey. For a round trip, that's a hefty 44 euros.
"Another price hike, nice one Deutsche Bahn"
Now, let's hear it for the environmental transport club VCD, who's calling on the railway to keep the family reservation going. Kerstin Haarmann, the federal chairwoman, said families, particularly those with kids, depend on reserved seats. "And now, thanks to this change, families welcome another price hike - just half a year after their last regular increase in December," she added, advising the railway to keep the general offer affordable instead of focusing on short-term discount actions.
The passenger association Pro Bahn agrees with Haarmann. Jörg Bruchertseifer stated, "It's high time politics and railway representatives made train travel more affordable for families with children, especially when traveling with family as a whole, the costs compared to the car become a crucial factor in their decision."
The Greens aren't happy either. According to Greenpeace's traffic expert Lena Donat, Deutsche Bahn seems intent on driving families into their cars. "If a four-member family shells out 44 euros just for seat reservations, that's more than many cars consume in fuel on 400 kilometers," she pointed out. The desire to travel comfortably and eco-friendly shouldn’t become a luxury, Donat said.
The German Social Association's chairman, Michaela Engelmeier, echoed similar concerns, stressing that each additional burden makes the decision to travel eco-friendly even harder for families with small incomes.
Even parties have joined the chorus of criticism, with the Greens and the CDU demanding a rethink from the railway. "Families with children need to sit together in the train. It's a scandal for the railway to make money off this necessity," said Green member of the Bundestag, Victoria Broßart.
Now, hold up, Deutsche Bahn ain't entirely heartless. They pointed out that children up to and including 14 years old can travel free of charge with an adult. They also reminded us that hardly anything will change for families as the family reservation was mainly booked by travel constellations consisting of one adult with one child. And the family reservation only offered a price advantage from three travelers. Approximately 5% of long-distance travelers booked family reservations last year, totaling around 6.7 million out of 133.4 million passengers with Deutsche Bahn.
So there you have it, folks! The affordable family seat reservation on German trains is becoming a luxury of the past. Families will need to significantly increase their travel budgets if they wanna keep riding the rails together. Looks like we all better start saving our pennies for train rides!
- In light of the rise in train seat reservations, some community groups are advocating for more affordable vocational training programs, suggesting that investing in affordable education could help alleviate families' financial burdens during travel.
- Meanwhile, during their sports activities, several community organizations are integrating vocational training sessions, teaching team members new skills while promoting an active lifestyle, as a potential solution to the increased train travel costs.
