German Train Tickets

[PeterY]

I've just had the below message from my daughter;

xx got some issues with our German train tickets as apparently you need to have a credit card even though they let us buy with a debit card! Any ideas?

Thanks for any help in advance

Peter

 

[eastwestdivide]

If you buy print at home tickets from DB with a card online, you need to have that card with you when you're on the train, even if that card has expired by the time you travel. That's regardless of credit or debit cards. Other than that, I know nothing.

"some issues" - what does she mean?

 

[PeterY]

Thank you Eastwestdivide. for such a prompt reply.

some issues means "I ordered on the Train Line Europe, using a debit card but in Germany you need to authenticate your ticket, which according to DB, you needed to have used a credit card and your passport won't count"

 

[Redonian]

I have just bought a DB ticket on line. The ticket has my name on it as well as the type of card I used and the last four numbers of the card. As EWD has said you have to have with you on the train the card you booked with. Some conductors will ask you for the card, some don't bother but it is not wise to take the risk

 

[57611]

Even if you have the card you paid with to show the guard on the day would it matter that this was a Debit card and not a Credit card? :/ The DB Bahn site seems to state only credit cards and says nothing about debit.

 

[Redonian]

I always buy DB tickets on line with my debit card. Never had any problem.

 

[PeterY]

Thanks guys for all your replies. I'm sure my daughter will sleep easy now.

Regards

Peter

 

[30907]

I'd not noticed that the db site makes no reference to debit cards other than maestro.
I suspect they are not widely used in Germany, but so long as the card number matches the ticket I can't foresee a problem.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Always wise to make sure your papers are in order.

 

[92002]

I'd not noticed that the db site makes no reference to debit cards other than maestro.
I suspect they are not widely used in Germany, but so long as the card number matches the ticket I can't foresee a problem.

When you buy print at home tickets from the DB website, in very good English part of the purchase proceedure gives you the option to identify yourself be either the card used to purchase or your passport.

Anyone could find your paper ticket and try to use it on a train. Part if the validation process in the barcode that is scanned says what the ticket is to be validated with. No validation and the ticket is worthless.

 

[Paul Kelly]

I accidentally used the wrong card with a DB print-at-home ticket once and the ticket inspector didn't seem to notice. But sometimes they swipe your card after scanning the barcode on the (printed) ticket.

 

[57611]

I always buy DB tickets on line with my debit card. Never had any problem.

Hi, Thanks for all the replies! Just a quick question on this one, did you use the debit card to authenticate on the day as well as purchase the tickets?

 

[theageofthetra]

This seems a bit of a daft rule. What happens if the ticket is bought on someone elses behalf? E.g as a present or by a companies travel consultant? What about group bookings by a travel agent?

 

[Redonian]

Hi, Thanks for all the replies! Just a quick question on this one, did you use the debit card to authenticate on the day as well as purchase the tickets?

I used a UK Visa debit card to buy the ticket and the same one to authenticate on the train. You have to produce the same card that you used to buy the ticket even if it has since expired.
The latest ticket I have was bought with the same card. The ticket has my name on it, ID Karte - Visa and the last 4 numbers of the card plus a barcode which is scanned on the train.

 

[gordonthemoron]

This seems a bit of a daft rule. What happens if the ticket is bought on someone elses behalf? E.g as a present or by a companies travel consultant? What about group bookings by a travel agent?

DB print at home tickets are only for yourself or people travelling with you. I have used a debit card to purchase these many times, both UK & German ones, never had any problem. Conductors on IC & ICE trains will check the card (or other means of ID), those on Regional trains or other operators will not.

 

[Golghar]

DB print at home tickets are only for yourself or people travelling with you. I have used a debit card to purchase these many times, both UK & German ones, never had any problem. Conductors on IC & ICE trains will check the card (or other means of ID), those on Regional trains or other operators will not.

You can buy a ticket on the DB-site for someone you are not accompanying. You have to specify how this person will identify himself/herself. Conductors on regional trains or othe operators will check the identification if that is the first train being travelled on sith this ticket.

 

[starrymarkb]

The card that they scan to identify you doesn't have to be the payment card used. But you do have to specify that card's number at the time of booking (and it defaults to the payment card)

 

[57611]

Thank you for all the replies! The debit card worked fine in the end although the guard gave it a full checking! Very nice traveling by train in Austria and Germany as every train arrived on time, very different to London travel .

 

[starrymarkb]

Thank you for all the replies! The debit card worked fine in the end although the guard gave it a full checking! Very nice traveling by train in Austria and Germany as every train arrived on time, very different to London travel .

You were lucky then - DB are just as delay prone as anywhere else Last DB IC I caught was 30mins late

 

[theblackwatch]

You were lucky then - DB are just as delay prone as anywhere else Last DB IC I caught was 30mins late

After 2 or 3 trips to Germany in the past couple of years, I've come to the conclusion that DB in Germany (and in particular IC services) is less reliable than the UK rail network is.