Dougal2345
Member
- Joined
- 29 Oct 2009
- Messages
- 635
This post is just about a Deutsche Bahn refund that slightly vexed me - not a major grumble, and there's nothing to be done about it - just posted here in case anyone finds it interesting.
On 2-Sep I was booked to travel from Nürnberg to London through DB, departing at 08:00 and arriving at 16:05. EUR 114.40.
On 26-Aug, I received an email from DB - "Recent events sometimes make changes in the timetable necessary. Due to construction, e.g., your train might depart/arrive at a different time, depart from/arrive at a different train station or be cancelled."
When I reached Nürnberg on 1-Sep, I went to the DB travel centre to find out more. They advised me that my journey would take longer, but the Eurostar portion could not be amended, because everything was fully booked.
So I would have to leave earlier - over 3 hours earlier, 04:49 IIRC
Not a great time to leave, and no chance of getting the hotel breakfast I'd pre-ordered...
I have to say, the slower train journey, up the Rhine valley in morning sunshine through Koblenz, was lovely and picturesque, insofar as I could appreciate it whilst falling into states of microsleep. I might head back there next summer.
So, when I got home I decided to try for a little compensation - after all, I'd spent three hours longer on the train than was promised, even though I'd still got to my destination on time.
The only method of claiming that I could find was to send a form (with tickets) by post to Germany - not exactly 21st century, but I thought the £1.55 stamp would be money well spent.
On 20-Sep I got my refund - EUR 4.50 (£3.88) for one seat reservation.
Underwhelmed by such generosity! 
On 2-Sep I was booked to travel from Nürnberg to London through DB, departing at 08:00 and arriving at 16:05. EUR 114.40.
On 26-Aug, I received an email from DB - "Recent events sometimes make changes in the timetable necessary. Due to construction, e.g., your train might depart/arrive at a different time, depart from/arrive at a different train station or be cancelled."
When I reached Nürnberg on 1-Sep, I went to the DB travel centre to find out more. They advised me that my journey would take longer, but the Eurostar portion could not be amended, because everything was fully booked.
So I would have to leave earlier - over 3 hours earlier, 04:49 IIRC
Not a great time to leave, and no chance of getting the hotel breakfast I'd pre-ordered...I have to say, the slower train journey, up the Rhine valley in morning sunshine through Koblenz, was lovely and picturesque, insofar as I could appreciate it whilst falling into states of microsleep. I might head back there next summer.
So, when I got home I decided to try for a little compensation - after all, I'd spent three hours longer on the train than was promised, even though I'd still got to my destination on time.
The only method of claiming that I could find was to send a form (with tickets) by post to Germany - not exactly 21st century, but I thought the £1.55 stamp would be money well spent.
On 20-Sep I got my refund - EUR 4.50 (£3.88) for one seat reservation.
Underwhelmed by such generosity!
