DB Latest - October 2008
Now travel to Eastern Europe and Luxembourg with the ‘Europe Special’ ticket!
A new range of destinations in Eastern Europe is now available with the ‘Europe Special’ ticket. Since 1st October 2008, Deutsche Bahn has been offering tickets for travel to Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Croatia as well as Luxembourg from £32 (1st Class from £57). For specific connections and particular countries, tickets can be purchased from as little as £16 (1st Class from £24). Holders of the ‘Bahncard 25’ are entitled to a discount of £4.10. More information can be found on our website www.bahn.co.uk.
Since 2007 the ‘Europe Special’ already offered journeys to Austria, Denmark and many destinations in Italy as well as Paris. From April this year, further destinations have been included in the ticket including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Since the introduction of the ‘Europe Special’ approximately 1.5 million tickets have been sold.
Since 2007 the ‘Europe Special’ already offered journeys to Austria, Denmark and many destinations in Italy as well as Paris. From April this year, further destinations have been included in the ticket including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Since the introduction of the ‘Europe Special’ approximately 1.5 million tickets have been sold.
Mobile phone as a ticket for the train and bus
The e-ticketing system ‘Touch and Travel’ that Deutsche Bahn is currently testing out in Berlin with mobile phone network providers T-Mobile and Vodafone should soon be brought to the market.
This clever technology simplifies the procedure of travelling for all passengers. Before passengers get on the train, details have to be recorded by waving their mobile phones that have a built-in chip in front of a ‘Touchpoint’ at the platform or the bus stop they depart from as well as the one they arrive at. The system records the travel dates, route and price. Monthly bills are then sent to the traveller with details of each journey made. Multiple journeys that are made on the same day are automatically recorded and priced as a ‘day travel card’. Touch and travel enables easy and hassle-free transit involving other modes of transport such as the bus services available. This saves the passenger from spending a great deal of money in purchasing a separate ticket for using these other forms of transport.
The first technological run-through was successfully completed at the end of August using the Deutsche Bahn connections between Berlin and Hanover as well as the sub-network of the S-Bahn trains in Berlin along with the local transport in Potsdam. Approximately 200 participants put touch and travel to the test although they were required to carry a normal ticket with them.
The second test will start in December this year with a further 500 participants testing out the ‘Touch and Travel’ system under special conditions. Mobile phones will be provided to all participants free of charge for this trial. Rail networks tested will be the S-Bahn service and underground trains in Berlin within zones A and B.
This clever technology simplifies the procedure of travelling for all passengers. Before passengers get on the train, details have to be recorded by waving their mobile phones that have a built-in chip in front of a ‘Touchpoint’ at the platform or the bus stop they depart from as well as the one they arrive at. The system records the travel dates, route and price. Monthly bills are then sent to the traveller with details of each journey made. Multiple journeys that are made on the same day are automatically recorded and priced as a ‘day travel card’. Touch and travel enables easy and hassle-free transit involving other modes of transport such as the bus services available. This saves the passenger from spending a great deal of money in purchasing a separate ticket for using these other forms of transport.
The first technological run-through was successfully completed at the end of August using the Deutsche Bahn connections between Berlin and Hanover as well as the sub-network of the S-Bahn trains in Berlin along with the local transport in Potsdam. Approximately 200 participants put touch and travel to the test although they were required to carry a normal ticket with them.
The second test will start in December this year with a further 500 participants testing out the ‘Touch and Travel’ system under special conditions. Mobile phones will be provided to all participants free of charge for this trial. Rail networks tested will be the S-Bahn service and underground trains in Berlin within zones A and B.
Call A Bike: soon available in an additional 100 cities across Germany
By 2009, Deutsche Bahn’s ‘Call A Bike’ will be expanding their services across 100 ICE train stations. At the moment there are ‘CallBikes’ at the following stations: Hamburg, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Hanover, Braunschweig, Mannheim, Baden-Baden, Freiburg, Bremen, Oldenburg, Gotha, Weimar and Mainz.
Call A Bike gives individuals the opportunity to hire a bike for the day. There are many ‘Call a Bike pick-up points’ across the cities where you can rent a bike for the day simply by calling a number for the opening code. This is an excellent alternative for the summer days, which is easy to use and also offers affordable rates.
Call A Bike gives individuals the opportunity to hire a bike for the day. There are many ‘Call a Bike pick-up points’ across the cities where you can rent a bike for the day simply by calling a number for the opening code. This is an excellent alternative for the summer days, which is easy to use and also offers affordable rates.
City Night Line: New timetable now available
The new City Night Line timetable for journeys from 14th December 2008 has been in operation since 16th October 2008 with numerous improvements to the services. There is a new direct connection from Zurich to Prague which goes through Basel and Dresden. Simultaneously, many connections are now offered on a daily basis including the service from Amsterdam to Prague stopping in Berlin. Additional services include the overnight service that runs from Munich to Hamburg, Berlin, Copenhagen, Rome and Venice.
From December 2008, passengers will be able to reserve a single bed in the sleeper carriage without having to deal with booking a whole compartment. By sharing with other passengers, a compartment can be divided and be much more cost-effective for each individual.
Tickets for the new timetable can be booked from the 16th October 2008. The new City Night Line timetable brochures with detailed information regarding the whole route network will be available from the end of October 2008.
From December 2008, passengers will be able to reserve a single bed in the sleeper carriage without having to deal with booking a whole compartment. By sharing with other passengers, a compartment can be divided and be much more cost-effective for each individual.
Tickets for the new timetable can be booked from the 16th October 2008. The new City Night Line timetable brochures with detailed information regarding the whole route network will be available from the end of October 2008.
Over the winter weekends, City Night Line will be transporting skiers and snowboarders from North Germany and the Rhein/Ruhr over Munich through to Tyrol in Austria. The trains to Munich will also provide services to Kufstein, Wörgl, Jenbach and Innsbruck between the end of December and Mid-April. The trains from Amsterdam pass through the Rhine/Ruhr area and from Hamburg further into Switzerland. From Zurich, it will travel across the Bernese Oberland stopping in Thun, Spiez, Frutigen, Kandersteg and Wallis. Continuing to Goppenstein, the train will make its final stop at Brig.
Christian Brambring, the executive director of City Night Line points out the advantages of using these services, "With 17 lines across a wide range of destinations in eight European countries, one can travel comfortably overnight at an affordable price. Furthermore, City Night Line does not have extra charges including tax unlike 'cheap flights' on offer. Furthermore luggage can be taken on board free of charge."
A single journey using the City Night Line services within Germany only costs £41 when booking a couchette. For travel across Europe, prices start from just £49 per person for one trip. For an additional £17 it is possible to upgrade to a sleeper carriage, which includes breakfast.
Christian Brambring, the executive director of City Night Line points out the advantages of using these services, "With 17 lines across a wide range of destinations in eight European countries, one can travel comfortably overnight at an affordable price. Furthermore, City Night Line does not have extra charges including tax unlike 'cheap flights' on offer. Furthermore luggage can be taken on board free of charge."
A single journey using the City Night Line services within Germany only costs £41 when booking a couchette. For travel across Europe, prices start from just £49 per person for one trip. For an additional £17 it is possible to upgrade to a sleeper carriage, which includes breakfast.
Press contact
Issued by:
DB Vertrieb GmbH
Passenger Services
Suites 6/8
The Sanctuary
23 Oakhill Grove
Surbiton
Surrey
KT6 6DU
Passenger Services
Suites 6/8
The Sanctuary
23 Oakhill Grove
Surbiton
Surrey
KT6 6DU
Contact:
Aisha Saharan
Tel: 020/8339-4720
Fax: 020/8339-4770
E-mail: aisha.saharan@bahn.co.uk
Prices and information are correct at time of issue.
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