Miriamo
Traveller
4 comments
Posted 1 year ago
Dear people,
I'm going to make a trip to Rome (from the Netherlands) with my children. I booked a sleeping cabin on the train from München to Rome and a ticket from the Netherlands to München station. I did not want to stress and kept in mind there could be delay on the first part of the trip, so would originally arrive in München at 15.07 and the nigttrain would depart at 20.09 so time enough. But 3 weeks before departure i received an email that the journey wil take longer because of constuction work and de departuretime is changed to 17.10. This is a diference of 3 hours witch means if i have 30 minuts delay in my second train, I will miss our nighttrain. (couse the next train from Düsseldorf to München would arrive in München at 20.10 so my train had left) I can cancel my DB ticket (for 10 euro) but if i want to order the same ticket one day earlier (and spend a night in München at a hotel) i have to pay 120 euro's more for the same trip, becouse obviously all the 'sparpreis' tickets are sold already. Is there right i have at compensation for those extra costs? From ÖBB (Nightline company) of DB? I can find things when you have more than 120 minutes delay, but that stated you should arrive 120 minutes later at your destination, not about arriving at the same time, but leaving hours earlier??
And on my way back there is the same problem i heard today. But now the train departs at the sceduled time and will arrive at destination 3 hours later. Do i have the right at 50% compensation (because more than 120 minutes delay), or can they prevent that right by using the sentence 'Timetable subject to change'. They do give the option to cancel my trip but i already booked an accomodation in Rome and like to go (and obviously need to go back as wel ;) ) And do i have any right to take a later train home, because i will miss my booked one?
Hope someone can give me more information here. It cost me already more than 20 euro international phonerates already today, and ik still don't no what te do?
Arend7
Traveller
645 comments
If you miss the train in Düsseldorf, maybe the next direct train will arrive at 20:07, but there are much more indirect trains (meaning you have to change inbetween) arriving between 15:07 and 20:07. See www.bahn.com or www.nsinternational.com.
Miriamo
Traveller
4 comments
I checkt that of course, but i thought there was just one indirect connection with a change between trains in 5 minutes (with seemed hard with two children and luggage) or i would be to late. But i guess i made a mistake becouse the site orders the results in departure time and i found indirect connections witch wouldn't make it in time so did not look further. Bur now i found two direct ICE connections with depart later (at 10.51 and 11.18) , but seems to make it in time. But are we alowed to just step in one of these ICE trains if we have tickets and seat reservations for an earlier one (if it is due delay of a previous train?) Of course the seatreservation don't count but is the ticket valid or can they remove us from the train or give a fine?
And I believe the first part to Düsseldorf is a regional train? It's a VIA20013. Am i correct that you're allowed to take every train on that route as long as it is a regional train as well with your ticket? Because than we can leave earlier to make sure we are on time in Düsseldorf.
We used to travel by train a lot trough Europe before, and normaly i'm not that stressed out haha. But than we had Interrail tickets so the precise connection did not matter that much. Now it's the first time we booked a sleeping cabin. Thanks for your help already.
Arend7
Traveller
645 comments
Germany has no mandatory reservations, only if you buy a ticket whith (super)sparpreis which said there is "zugbindung". But that expires when you have to take a later train, because of delay of a former train.
Arend7
Traveller
645 comments
To be more clearly. "Zugbindung" means that you have to take that train. No need to make a reservation beside that.
Miriamo
Traveller
4 comments
Thanks a lot!! Nice to now that you can take another train in the same route when you have a delay!! I guess it wil go alright then. We just take a train earlier until Düsseldorf and wait there till our original train. Then we have enough alternatives and security built in i guess ;). I'm looking forworth to our journey.
Arend7
Traveller
645 comments
Be aware it is officially not allowed taking a train earlier if it is a sparpreis with zugbindung. Only a train later when the first one was delayed.
Miriamo
Traveller
4 comments
Does that count for the regional (VIA) trains as well? Read it was allowed in those trains but maybe i misunderstood?
argon
Traveller
455 comments
At "Sparpreis" the "Zugbindung" is only for long-distance trains and not for regional-trains (in Germany ) . Best regards !
Miriamo
Traveller
4 comments
Great! That makes it possible to leave a train earlier till Düsseldorf. Thanks a lot for your help!