Berlin day ticket validation stamp

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

Watched some very useful videos on YouTube on how to use the Berlin Transport System, which tells you that you need to stamp the ticket in a validation machine to validate the ticket. Some video's mention that you must do this at lease once. If it's a monthly ticket then you only do it once.

But what about a 7 euro day ticket (Zone AB Travelcard)? If it's a day ticket then do you only need to do it once? If I travel on 40 buses do I need to stamp it 40 times (once on each bus)?

I can understand it for single's and returns but I'm not sure how it works for day tickets.


Any help would be appreciated!


James.

 

[Mag_seven]

If its just a day ticket (tageskarte) you only validate it once.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Yes, you just validate a day ticket once, and it is valid until 0300 the following day. They are very hot on checking tickets - plain-clothes inspectors abound with readers to check that it has been validated.

 

[paddington]

I am curious as to why you thought it might need to be validated 40 times. Validation prints the date on the ticket, so once it is done that ticket can only be used for that day. It is necessary because you can buy the ticket up to a year in advance I believe.

I have been frequently checked on the U-bahn in zone A, never anywhere else, except on RB trains which have dedicated conductors. Oddly enough it is always tourists who I see getting caught, I assume because students get a free ticket and locals get monthlies etc

 

[AlexNL]

They are very hot on checking tickets - plain-clothes inspectors abound with readers to check that it has been validated.

Readers? Surely you mean the Mk1 eyeball?

Berlin (as many German cities) uses paper tickets on which a date gets stamped at the moment of validation. Tickets are valid from the moment of validation until the end of the indicated timeframe.

You don't want to validate a single ticket multiple times as this could lead to the stamp getting overwritten with something else, rendering the initial validation moment illegible and thus voiding your ticket.

 

[atraindriver]

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[cactustwirly]

Hello all,

Watched some very useful videos on YouTube on how to use the Berlin Transport System, which tells you that you need to stamp the ticket in a validation machine to validate the ticket. Some video's mention that you must do this at lease once. If it's a monthly ticket then you only do it once.

But what about a 7 euro day ticket (Zone AB Travelcard)? If it's a day ticket then do you only need to do it once? If I travel on 40 buses do I need to stamp it 40 times (once on each bus)?

I can understand it for single's and returns but I'm not sure how it works for day tickets.


Any help would be appreciated!


James.

Basically the ticket is just a thin bit of paper, which says 'VBB zone ABC, tageskarte'. It will have no date on it, hence when you validate it a date and time is stamped on the ticket (Same process with normal single/return tickets)
This is to stop you reusing the ticket on multiple days, however once it has been validated once, there is no need to validate it again.
Like most European cities there are no ticket barriers, but there are a load of ticket inspectors, and you will be fined if you travel without validating the ticket.
The validators, are small (yellow?) machines with a slot to insert your ticket, they are normally found close to the ticket machines on the underground stations.

 

[radamfi]

You can also buy the ticket using the DB Navigator app. Then the ticket will be validated automatically.

 

[Mag_seven]

(Zone AB Travelcard)

For a small extra sum, best get one that covers Zones A, B and C - it covers a very wide area.

 

[Goldfish62]

I usually buy a stock of day tickets when I first arrive then validate them on each day.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Thanks for the help guys!

I know I only thought you might need to do it more than once because I'm daft and didn't think about it when it said 'stamp', though it didn't show a date stamp which made me wonder if it was a reader strip or something.

At least I know now, just stamp it once then just get on any train bus tram in the zones.

Goldfish62 - didn't think of that! Will be getting one of these everyday so could just buy 5 at once.

 

[cactustwirly]

Thanks for the help guys!

I know I only thought you might need to do it more than once because I'm daft and didn't think about it when it said 'stamp', though it didn't show a date stamp which made me wonder if it was a reader strip or something.

At least I know now, just stamp it once then just get on any train bus tram in the zones.

Goldfish62 - didn't think of that! Will be getting one of these everyday so could just buy 5 at once.

However it isn't valid on any EC, IC or ICE services.
But perfectly valid on the Regional services, RE1 is a must since it is hauled by the best loco (Taurus)

 

[Segedunum]

However it isn't valid on any EC, IC or ICE service

If the OP wants to have a whirl on IC or ICE, the VBB all zones ticket is valid on a select number between Prenzlau/Potsdam/Cottbus and Berlin. It's surprisingly well advertised locally!

 

[Spoorslag '70]

Will be getting one of these everyday so could just buy 5 at once.

It would be cheaper to get a seven-day-ticket than five day tickets.
Do however pay the extra for ABC, if only for the trams in Woltersdorf, Schöneiche and Strausberg (independent trams east of Berlin with Gothas; Tatras, Düwags and Artics; Tatras and Flexitys respectively).
The full list of long distance trains where local tickets are accepted is this:
Berlin – Bernau – Eberswalde – Angermünde – Prenzlau
ICE-Züge: 1531, 1712, 1714
IC-Züge: 1924, 1970, 2422, 2424, 2426, 2428
Prenzlau – Angermünde – Eberswalde – Bernau – Berlin
ICE-Züge: 1713, 1729, 1736
IC-Züge: 1932, 2325, 2421, 2423, 2425, 2427, 2429
Potsdam – Berlin – Lübben – Lübbenau – Cottbus
IC 1031, 2431
Cottbus – Lübbenau – Lübben – Berlin – Potsdam
IC 1002, 2432

 

[Segedunum]

The Wolsterdorf Tram is worth a spin- quite a quirky little line- when I did it I then took the bus to Erkner to save a doubleback.

Also if you get a 7 day pass- don't validate it at all. I stamped mine in a sleepy haze and one DB conductor took exception and gave me a right load of grief, pointing at the stamp and the printed date patronisingly with 'datum...kein datum...datum...kein datum'

 

[atraindriver]

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[STEVIEBOY1]

Last one I bought, from the VBB machine at Tegel airport, did have to be validated. That was a few years ago, though, so things may well have changed.

I also had a run-in with one of DB's finest, a stand-up row in Denglish on a train out of Cottbus because I refused to allow her to stamp either the 7-day or the separate 1st class upgrade coupon...
The words "Es ist ein zeitkarten. Mann muss' *nicht* ein zeitkarten stempeln" reduced her to near apoplexy!

I was in Berlin about 18 months ago and was there for nearly a week and it was cheaper and more convenient to buy a 7day ABC Zone ticket at Tegel Airport from the local transport manned kiosk in the Main Airport building. I think the driver on the Airport bus stamped it for me, then it was fine for the whole period, no more stamping needed. We did also go on some of the old trams mentioned above in the East, being near Christmas, one of those was decorated with tinsel and Christmas lights.

 

[Segedunum]

Last one I bought, from the VBB machine at Tegel airport, did have to be validated. That was a few years ago, though, so things may well have changed.

I also had a run-in with one of DB's finest, a stand-up row in Denglish on a train out of Cottbus because I refused to allow her to stamp either the 7-day or the separate 1st class upgrade coupon...
The words "Es ist ein zeitkarten. Mann muss' *nicht* ein zeitkarten stempeln" reduced her to near apoplexy!

Funny, this was also on a service out of Cottbus

I don't even know what the bloke's issue was as he mouthed off to me about it then an 'ok, entschuldigung' was enough to make him go away.

I stamp mine anyway just to be sure but the 7 day one I bought had '20/8-26/8' written on.

 

[dutchflyer]

Yes, in DE its is still all old-fashioned stamp once-though many of those Verkehrsverbuende now have them only for immediate sale with date already on.
This is quite different from Oyster-etc. use or those more familiair with FR, as there contactless chipcards are more and more the norm and these do indeed have to be touched in at any new trip. Same for here in AMSterdam. And of course do not show any sign of till how long they are valid or even on what day.
With ABC in Berlin one could make traintrips of over 1 hour and nearly 50 kms from one end till other on several of the longer distance RE-trains, incl. DB and ODEG dosto=doppelstock=doubledeck. The standard DB-single fare would even be higher!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Yes by train I meant metro S+U bahn sorry, but I guess it's valid on any line marked on the zone map?

https://fahrinfo.bvg.de/Fahrinfo/bin/query.bin/en?&ujm=1

I will use the ABC ticket to get from SXF to Priort, which apparently is a very good freight spot, using RB22 and RB21.

Shame I won't have time to do the trams but I'm sure a re-visit will cover that! That Wolsterdof Tram looks very interesting, looks like it certainly shifts through the woods!

 

[Segedunum]

Indeed it's valid on all. I'd recommend a whirl behind a BR182 'Taurus' loco- they work the RE1 which will take you from Potsdam and Wannsee into Berlin twice an hour.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Thank you very much!

Haven't heard a Taurus since I went to Austria a couple of years ago, I love the musical start up

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Just to say thank you guys for the help. The station I used didn't take notes, the slot was covered up so used a card (which I nearly left at the hotel as was just going to use notes).

Ticket was very useful but surprised at having no checks all, not even on the DB Regio's between Schonefeld and Oustbahnhof.

 

[duesselmartin]

Just to say thank you guys for the help. The station I used didn't take notes, the slot was covered up so used a card (which I nearly left at the hotel as was just going to use notes).

Ticket was very useful but surprised at having no checks all, not even on the DB Regio's between Schonefeld and Oustbahnhof.

Checks in German regional services are sporadic. Sometimes you can get non at all or be hit by a wave of them.
In my region the train is usually checked once in what is a 2 hour journey.
On long distance trains which get No subsidy, checks are frequent.