From BZ/dpa
At the start of the week, long-distance trains are likely to be canceled across Germany and aircraft will remain on the ground. For travelers, this now means: explore alternatives – and rather not cancel prematurely.
Bad news for travelers: Train stations and airports are threatened with standstill on Monday. The unions EVG and Verdi have called for a warning strike.
And now? Here are short and sweet tips for everyone who wants to be on the train or plane on March 27th:
1. Train: Is my train running after all? Alternatively, could I travel a day earlier or later?
If you can, you should go to a travel center at the train station and explore the possibilities, advises Alina Menold from the consumer center in Lower Saxony.
An ICE Sprinter is in Berlin Central Station (archive photo) Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild
During strikes in the past, Deutsche Bahn had often shown itself to be accommodating and, for example, extended the validity of long-distance tickets that had already been booked. So you could travel flexibly and without being tied to a train later. Or if you didn’t want that, you could have the price of the ticket reimbursed using a goodwill form on the DB website or at one of the DB’s sales points.
It is to be expected that Deutsche Bahn will announce corresponding regulations this time as well. There may also be alternative timetables, according to which individual long-distance trains may still be running. Travelers should wait and see and not prematurely cancel their ticket.
2. Flights: Travelers should first ask the airline what options there are – such as rebooking.
Even if a flight is canceled due to a strike, passengers can insist on being transported to the airline alternatively – even if it is only the next day.
They can also ask for the ticket price back instead, but then they have to take care of getting from A to B themselves.
A man walks past a departures board at the airport (stock photo) Photo: Arne Dedert/dpa
In the case of failed domestic German connections, airlines often offer the option of converting the ticket into a train ticket. Of course, that will hardly be possible with this strike.
Anyone who has booked a flight package tour and wanted to depart on Monday should contact the organizer. Consumer advocate Menold explains that he must also ensure that holidaymakers get to their destination during a warning strike. If a day of vacation is lost, the travel price can be reduced proportionately.
3. Alternatives: If you have to travel on the day of the strike, a rental car or a long-distance bus can be two options.
The online portal “billiger-mietwagen.de” said at the beginning of the week, when there was already speculation about the giant warning strike: It is assumed that there will be an increase in bookings and prices at very short notice. If you already know that you have to be mobile on Monday, you should book as soon as possible. Bookings can often be canceled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance – for example, if, contrary to expectations, the train does run.
At Flixbus, it was said at the beginning of the week that the most popular lines for the day of the strike would be increased if possible.
A small but: Since the employees of the motorway company are also called on to walk out, there could also be restrictions on the trunk roads.