Soaring Rail Reservation Costs: German Rail's Controversial Move - " family reservations scrap, a de facto price hike"
Deutsche Bahn under fire for implied price hike
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Starting this weekend, German Rail is revamping its timetables and pricing strategy. The end of family reservations is upon us, coupled with an escalation in pre-booked seat fees. Unsurprisingly, the move has stirred up heat from political circles and passenger advocates.
Gone are the days of easy, affordable seat reservations for families on German Rail. The state-owned corporation declared that the family reservation option will be a thing of the past with their new timetable this Sunday. In its stead, everyone, even young ones, will have to dish out cash for reserved seats. Additionally, the price for pre-booked seats is skyrocketing. In the second class, the price creeps up by 30 cents to 5.50 euros, whereas in the first class, it jumps from 6.50 euros to 6.90 euros for a reserved seat. This translates into hefty increases. For a family of four in second class, the fee escalates from 10.40 euros to 30.00 euros. In first class, the price swells from 13 euros to 34.50 euros for a reservation fee. The reservation fees had last been hiked up in June of the previous year.
Economy Challenges in Long-Distance Travel - Flixtrain Investments, Could DB Tickets Drop? The ecologically-minded transport collective VCD urges the company to retain the family reservation option. "Families with children rely on reservations," comments Kerstin Haarmann, the group's federal chairwoman. "They now face an effectively pricier trip, scarcely half a year since the last regular upsurge in December." She recommends the rail company to "shy away from short-term discount gimmicks and instead keep the general cost reasonable."
"The cost increases two-fold," laments Detlef Neuss, head of the passenger association Pro Bahn, to the "Rheinische Post." "That's just plain wrong. That's bad." With the looming price rise, families might lean toward driving for excursions, such as visits to family members, warns Neuss. "We expect the rail company to rollback the price if feasible. The federal government must then live up to its supervisory responsibilities."
Economy " Jumbled Train Policy" German Rail Finally Gets Its First New ICE L More censure comes from the Union: "The rail company should think twice about its strategy," suggests transport expert Christoph Ploß, a CDU member. He adds that seat reservations can be helpful in managing and organizing train occupancy for passengers. "However, families should not be unfairly burdened."
Green transport specialist Matthias Gastel finds the company's perspective "quite cheeky, given the services provided by DB Fernverkehr." Gastel is of the opinion that the company's dismal performance is being foisted on passengers in various ways. "DB Fernverkehr delivers unsatisfactory punctuality, hikes ticket prices, and worsens offers," says Gastel. "That's too much at once." The rail company should "do better at catering to customer expectations," and the federal government should shoulder its share of the responsibility more diligently, according to Gastel.
- German National Railway
- Budget
- Responses and Remarks
- Environmentally-Conscious Movements
- Germany
- CDU
Insights:
- The last increase in reservation fees took place in June of the preceding year.
- The exact reasons behind the abolishment of family reservations are not clearly stated.
- The decision has garnered criticism from both consumers and political circles, with some arguing it could reduce the appeal of train travel for families.
- The increased cost could potentially lead passengers to reconsider their choice of travel mode, potentially impacting German Rail's customer base and revenue.
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[4]: https://www.spiegel.de/bausen-und-technik/verkehr/faShared Responsibility": "Deutschland")
Community policy should be implemented to address the concerns raised by the VCD and Pro Bahn, who argue that the abolition of family reservations and the subsequent price hike in pre-booked seat fees is unfair to families and may lead to a decline in the use of public-transit, such as German National Railway. Vocational training programs could be established to train employees in the transportation industry, including German Rail, on how to better manage and organize train occupancy while maintaining affordability for passengers, particularly families. Finance and budgetary considerations will play a crucial role in this process, as the German government bears the supervisory responsibilities for German National Railway and should ensure the company's decisions align with the best interests of the public. Environmentally-conscious movements, such as the CDU, can play a role in advocating for reasonable pricing and affordable options for long-distance travel, encouraging the use of eco-friendly transportation methods like trains over personal vehicles.
