Online-Ticket - all you need to know
Here you find all information you need for booking self-print Online-Tickets including the registration and log-in process.
To book tickets online, you are required to register to our website. You may do this either prior to your first booking or during the booking process. Register now
Self-print Online-Ticket
No more need to queue for a ticket! Print your own tickets up to 10 minutes prior to departure. Available for almost all connections, all over Germany, for distances of 51 km or more. All you need is a credit card.
Just register to our website, chose your personal Online-Ticket ID (either BahnCard or credit card), enter your personal details and payment details. In the following section, you find a description of the registration process.
Validity of the self-print Online-Ticket
Your self-print Online-Ticket is personal to you (and your travel companions). It is valid only with your registered form of Online-Ticket ID (BahnCard or credit card). Therefore, it is essential that you take your ID with you when travelling.
The connection specified on standard fare tickets is not binding. This means you may also use other equivalent trains within the validity period of your ticket.
In contrary, savings fare tickets are tied to a specific train connection. Therefore, your Online-Ticket is only valid on the specific train connection indicated on your ticket. Always check the specific terms and conditions that apply for your ticket.
Of course, you will also receive an e-mail confirmation. However, the confirmation e-mail cannot be used instead of a ticket.
Special conditions of online NRW tariff tickets
Some NRW tariff tickets are available online, e.g. the SchöneReiseTicket (single or return journey)
1. All online tickets for the NRW fare consist of the online ticket for Deutsche Bahn and a further ticket for local public transport (tram, bus etc.) in North-Rhine Westphalia. If you book a ticket for the NRW fare, the second ticket will automatically be issued as an additional online ticket page (PDF). You are obliged to carry all the pages of the online ticket with you on the journey. Both these tickets are personal tickets and cannot be used by anyone else.
2. The second ticket states not only the name, but also the full address of the customer (for inspection purposes). The ticket is only valid in combination with an official ID document and must be presented in addition to the DB online ticket during inspections on the local transport vehicle.
Create your personal travel profile
When registering to our website, you can create your personal travel profile (such as your regular route combined with the cabin class you normally book).
In order to book your prefered trip again, simply log in before using the Travel Service.
Children
Children aged 6 to 14 travel for free when accompanied by their parents and/or grandparents. However, when booking add your children as travellers, because they have to be ticketed.
My Bookings
Your travel plans have changed? Log in and cancel any ticket before the first day on which it becomes valid. You have lost your self-printed Online-Ticket? No problem, because Online-Tickets can be retrieved and reprinted as often as needed. However, you may use any ticket only once.
Payment for self-print Online-Tickets
Online-Tickets can be paid for by credit card or direct debit (if you are a German resident and have a bank account in Germany). Regardless of which payment method you use, you can choose whether you want to use your BahnCard or your credit card as Online-Ticket ID.
Cancellation rules and other details
Your standard fare Online-Ticket can be cancelled online any time before the first day on which it becomes valid. To cancel a booking log in and enter "My Bookings".
Savings fare Online-Tickets can likewise be cancelled online. If cancelled prior to the first day on which they become valid, a fee of 15 EUR is charged. From the first day of validity savings fare tickets can no longer be exchanged or refunded. Please note that Online-Tickets cannot be returned to non-Internet sales points!
If you want to obtain a refund on your standard fare Online-Ticket, send it together with the completed refund claim form to our Service Center.
DB Vertrieb GmbH
Fulfillment Center
Postfach 60 05 03
22205 Hamburg
Please note that our Service Center can only accept claims for refunds on tickets purchased at www.bahn.de.
No self-print Online-Ticket for your journey?
Our Travel Service holds details of millions of different connections. Unfortunately we are not allowed to sell self-print Online-Tickets for all of them, such as for travel within municipal transport networks. Consequently, self-print Online-Tickets are available for journeys covering a distance of 51 km or more only, and for rail journeys only.
If a self-print Online-Ticket is not available for your journey of choice, you can usually order a ticket online which will be posted to you within 3 working days within Germany (8 working days for days for destinations outside of Germany). On-screen the postal icon indicates this option.
The booking did not work?
If you are unable to print out your Online-Ticket for technical reasons (printer cartridge empty, Acrobat Reader software not installed, etc.) you can retrieve the ticket later in the "My Bookings" section and print it out again.