A German Railway’s Decision to Scrap Family Discounts Draws Criticism
The German railway’s decision to scrap the family discount on seat reservations has been met with widespread criticism. According to Matthias Gastel, the Green Party’s railway expert, the move is unacceptable. “The massive increase in hidden costs, such as seat reservations, is an outrage, considering the services offered by DB Fernverkehr” he told the Rheinische Post.
Gastel believes the railway’s poor performance is being passed on to passengers, citing the company’s poor punctuality rates, increased ticket prices and reduced services. “The DB Fernverkehr delivers poor punctuality, raises ticket prices and worsens offers. That’s too much at once” he added. Gastel called on the government to take its responsibility more seriously and for the railway to provide more of what customers expect.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has also expressed concerns, urging the German railway to reconsider its decision. Verkehrsexperte Christoph Ploß, a CDU representative, said the railway should reconsider its approach. “Seat reservations can be sensible to organize and control the occupancy of trains in the interests of the passengers. However, families should not be overburdened in the process.”
The CDU will be pressing the Federal Minister of Transport, with Patrick Schnieder, a CDU politician, set to meet with the minister. Ploß emphasized the party’s commitment to strengthening the railway network. “We will and want to strengthen the railway network.”
The German railway has announced that, from June 15, it will scrap the family discount on seat reservations and increase the price of a single seat reservation to €5.50, meaning all passengers, including children, will have to pay the full price.