German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig Urges Reconsideration of Family Seat Reservations by Deutsche Bahn
German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), has called on Deutsche Bahn to reconsider its decision to discontinue family seat reservations. Hubig expressed concerns that the new reservation fees would significantly increase the cost of train travel for families.
Deutsche Bahn announced earlier this week that it would be eliminating family seat reservations, effective this Sunday and introducing a new fee for seat reservations. The change is expected to make train travel more expensive for families, with the cost of a reserved seat increasing from 10.40 euros in second class to 22 euros for two children and 44 euros for a round trip.
Hubig emphasized the importance of affordable mobility for families, particularly during the upcoming holiday season when trains are expected to be more crowded. She argued that the increased cost of reserved seats would make it difficult for families to travel to visit grandparents or go on vacation and that the decision to make seat reservations more expensive for families is problematic.
Parents, who often rely on reserved seats to ensure that all family members can sit together, will be disproportionately affected by the change, Hubig noted. She urged Deutsche Bahn to reconsider its plans, citing the need for a more family-friendly approach to train travel.