Train traffic stopped: What to look out for if Deutsche Bahn is to reimburse hotel costs

According to Statista data, 81.8 percent of Deutsche Bahn trains were on time in 2020 – i.e. almost 20 percent were late or canceled. While a short delay isn’t a big deal, longer delays can make a difference. In the worst case, travelers are stranded in the middle of nowhere at a small train station and can no longer get a connection to their destination station on the same day. If Deutsche Bahn does not provide a hotel directly, you can look for accommodation yourself and have the costs reimbursed afterwards.

Reimbursement by the hotel only if there is no alternative and if the delay is more than 60 minutes

However, this is only possible under certain conditions. The delay, which is responsible for the fact that you can no longer reach your destination on the same day, must be at least 60 minutes, it must actually be impossible or unreasonable to continue your journey and the fault must lie with Deutsche Bahn. In addition, Deutsche Bahn can offer an alternative means of transport for which it reimburses up to 80 euros per person. If you arrive at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at around 12:30 a.m. and cannot catch the connecting train to nearby Heidelberg due to a delay of more than 60 minutes, a taxi voucher can be issued. If a group of four people has to go to Heidelberg, for example, they can get to their destination in a shared taxi without incurring any additional costs.

If such a solution is offered, Deutsche Bahn will not reimburse any hotel costs.

Attention: Luxury accommodations are not reimbursed

Reimbursement of hotel costs will only be approved if the travelers had no other option than to look for accommodation on their own – for example, even if the Deutsche Bahn cannot be reached. According to Stiftung Warentest, it should not be luxury accommodation, otherwise disputes with the passenger rights service center responsible for reimbursement could arise.

The right to a refund is valid for one year from the date of validity of the ticket and in order to receive the refund, travelers must submit a completed and stamped Passenger Rights Form, the original receipts for the expenses incurred and the ticket itself to the service center. An informal request for reimbursement can also be submitted, provided that all relevant information is included.

Olga Rogler / Editor finanzen.net

Image sources: Lucian Milasan / Shutterstock.com