Exchanging or cancelling tickets or reservations (2024)

We have detailed information for you on how to change or cancel journeys. Simply select your ticket or reservation type in the list displayed below.

It is not possible to exchange booked tickets. However, you can cancel your purchased tickets and book a new trip.

Instant ticket cancellation

If you buy a ticket via int.bahn.de or the DB Navigator app, you can cancel it free of charge within a period of 12 hours (720 minutes) after purchase, in addition to the specific offer's terms and conditions. Payment will be refunded in full.

You can cancel the following long-distance offers (online/mobile) directly after booking. The ticket price will then be refunded:

  • Super saver fare, super saver fare for young people, super saver fare for senior citizens, super saver fare Europe, super saver fare Europe for young people
  • Saver fare, saver fare for young people, saver fare for senior citizens, saver fare Europe, saver fare Europe for young people
  • Flexible fares (normal, plus, business, Europe)
  • Group super saver fares (normal, Europe)
  • Group saver fares (normal, Europe)

An instant cancellation includes all of the additional services you book when buying your ticket, such as a seat reservation, a bicycle ticket, City mobil and ticket insurance.

It is not possible to cancel individual components of a ticket.

Offers booked via www.international-bahn.de are excluded from instant cancellation.

When ordering a BahnCard, the option of instant cancellation described here does not apply. This does not affect the right of cancellation that applies to our BahnCard 25 and 50 offers.

Further information about BahnCards is available here.

We will transfer the full payment to the means of payment that you originally used. Any vouchers you used for the booking will remain valid. It is not possible to issue refunds for eCoupons.

Via your customer account on int.bahn.de
Go to the "My tickets" section and open the ticket. Activate the instant cancellation and click "Cancel now". A window opens. In it, click the "Cancel now" button again. This completes the instant cancellation and you will see the successful cancellation ("Ticket cancelled") in your ticket.

Via your customer account in DB Navigator
Go to the "My tickets" section and open the ticket. Under "Further actions" > "To cancellation", activate the instant cancellation and click "Cancel". A window opens. In it, click the "Cancel" button again. This completes the instant cancellation and you will see the successful cancellation ("Ticket cancelled") in your ticket.

You can use the instant cancellation option within a period of 720 minutes or 12 hours after you book a ticket online.

Instant cancellation is possible only before the ticket's first day of validity.

Details: regular ticket cancellation process

Even if you have a train-specific ticket, you are entitled to the following if the train is expected to arrive at your destination with a delay of at least 20 minutes:

  • Continue your journey at the next possible opportunity using either the same route or a different one
  • Continue your journey at a later point in time if this reduces the delay in arriving at your destination station
  • Use a different train that does not require a reservation

This does not apply to trains which require mandatory reservations, e.g. night trains.

Using a more expensive train
If you have a ticket for use on a local transport service (RE, RB, IRE, S-Bahn) but want to use a more expensive service (e.g. long-distance train such as an IC/EC or ICE), you can do so if you buy the necessary ticket or pay the difference/surcharge. You can then claim back the costs under your passenger rights.

This option is not available for tickets with substantial discounts (e.g. a weekend ticket for Germany, a regional day ticket).

Refunds
Please apply for your compensation under passenger rights online via your customer account in DB Navigator or on int.bahn.de. Simply download, complete and sign the passenger rights form, then send it to the address indicated on the form.
Important: Make sure you enclose your original ticket or a copy of your season ticket/BahnCard 100. We regret that we are otherwise unable to pay any compensation.

Super saver fare tickets are excluded from exchange and cancellation.

Exception: instant cancellation up to 12 hours after booking.

You can cancel your saver fare ticket online or via the DB Navigator app if you booked it via int.bahn.de or the app.
The value of the ticket, minus a processing fee, will be refunded in the form of an e-mail voucher that you can use to buy another DB product.

Note: In the case of saver fare tickets for return journeys, the first day of validity refers to the day of the outbound journey.

Charges


Saver fare tickets

  • Up to one day before the first day of validity: cancellation fee of EUR10, refund issued in the form of a voucher
  • Cancellation is no longer possible from the first day of validity.


Saver fare Europe tickets

  • Up to one day before the first day of validity: cancellation fee of EUR10, refund issued in the form of a voucher
  • Cancellation is no longer possible from the first day of validity.


Passenger rights


Even if you have a train-specific ticket, you are entitled to the following if the train is expected to arrive at your destination with a delay of at least 20 minutes:

  • Continue your journey at the next possible opportunity using either the same route or a different one.
  • Continue your journey at a later point in time if this reduces the delay in arriving at your destination station.
  • Use a different train that does not require a reservation

More about your passenger rights

Did you buy your saver fare ticket online or with your mobile phone but chose to have it delivered by post? You can use our dedicated form to cancel it. Please fill out this form and send it with your tickets to the address specified on the form, or drop it off at a DB Travel Centre. The date of the postmark is decisive.

If your ticket also includes a compulsory reservation, e.g. for a night train, please also submit the corresponding receipt.

The value of the ticket, minus a processing fee, will be refunded in the form of a voucher that you can use to buy another DB product.
In the case of saver fare tickets for return trips, the first day of validity refers to the day of the outbound journey.

Charges


Saver fare tickets

  • Up to one day before the first day of validity*: cancellation fee of EUR10, refund issued in the form of a voucher
  • Cancellation is no longer possible from the first day of validity.


Saver fare Europe tickets

  • Up to one day before the first day of validity*: cancellation fee of EUR10, refund issued in the form of a voucher
  • Cancellation is no longer possible from the first day of validity.

*The date of the postmark is decisive.
Postage cannot be refunded.

Passenger rights


Even if you have a train-specific ticket, you are entitled to the following if the train is expected to arrive at your destination with a delay of at least 20 minutes:

  • Continue your journey at the next possible opportunity using either the same route or a different one.
  • Continue your journey at a later point in time if this reduces the delay in arriving at your destination station.
  • Use a different train that does not require a reservation

More about your passenger rights

Did you purchase your ticket from a ticket machine, by calling the travel service, at a DB Travel Centre or DB agency? Please present your ticket at a DB Travel Centre if you want to cancel it.

If your ticket also includes a compulsory reservation, e.g. for the night train, you must bring the corresponding seat reservation with you in addition to the ticket.

Group saver fare tickets booked online

  • Cancellation for the entire group is possible up to seven days before departure for a fee of EUR19 per group ticket.
  • No cancellation/exchange for individual travellers in the group.

Bookings made via your local DB sales point or by phone

Cancellation for the entire group

  • 14 or more days before the selected day of travel: free cancellation/exchange. No exchange afterwards.
  • Between 13 days and one day before departure: cancellation for the entire group is possible for a fee of EUR5 per person and ticket.

Cancellation for individual passengers

  • 14 or more days before the selected day of travel: free cancellation.
  • Between 13 days and one day before departure: cancellation is possible for a fee of EUR5 per person. The remaining group must consist of at least six people.

You can cancel your flexible fare or normal fare ticket online or via the DB Navigator app if you booked it via int.bahn.de or the app.

The value of the ticket, minus a processing fee, will be refunded to the means of payment you used to buy the ticket.

Charges


Before the first day of validity:
Free cancellation

On and after the first day of validity:

  • Exchange or cancellation of flexible fare tickets for long-distance transport (ICE, IC/EC) incurs a fee of EUR19
  • Cancellation of normal fare tickets on local transport (DB Regio, transport associations, NE/SEE) for a fee of EUR19

The fee is EUR19 for any connection that involves at least one long-distance train.

The validity period is printed on your ticket.
Postage cannot be refunded.

Deadlines


You can submit flexible fare or normal fare tickets for reimbursement within these deadlines:

  • For journeys within Germany up to six months after expiry of your ticket's validity period
  • For cross-border journeys up to one month after expiry of the ticket's validity period


Changes to your travel plans?
The flexible fare does not restrict you to a specific train. Simply take the train that suits you best on the day your ticket is valid.

You can cancel the flexible fare plus free of charge until the end of the validity period, i.e. two days after the booked day of travel.

After that, you can cancel the ticket for a fee of EUR19.

These tickets are excluded from exchanges and cancellations.

These tickets are excluded from exchanges and cancellations.

The general terms and conditions of the individual offers apply. Most special offers are excluded from exchange and cancellation.

If you booked a ticket on www.international-bahn.de and want to call it up again or cancel your booking in line with the applicable terms and conditions, simply go to www.international-bahn.de/de/ordersearch.

If you want to change a booking in line with the applicable terms and conditions, please contact the relevant service centre and have your order number (must begin with "MCP-") to hand. You can find this number in the e-mail confirming your booking.

Service centre telephone number: +49 61 729-13731 (costs depend on the provider)

E-mail: service-international@bahn.de

Times:
8:00 am - 8:00 pm on Monday-Friday; 10:00 am - 5:00 pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

Details on exchanging or cancelling seat reservations

The tariff excludes re-reservation of seats on long-distance services. This also applies to compulsory reservations (e.g. TGV)

If reserved seats could not be allocated, if allocated seats could not be held ready or if you were unable to use them due to a delay, you are entitled to a refund of the reservation fee paid.

You can also apply for a refund of the reservation fee informally at the Passenger Rights Service Centre, 60647 Frankfurt.

Exchanging or cancelling tickets or reservations (2024)
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