This lowers the risk of missing the connecting train – at least in the case of minor delays
The study also emphasizes, however, that the introduction of such clocking is a process that takes several years and is only realistic if it is also economically viable and does not result in any impediments to freight traffic.
Deutsche Bahn: Trains should be more punctual Delayed or canceled: What rights do you have? That’s why Germany is chasing after: These are the fastest trains in the world
Punctual trains are also necessary for the Germany clock. There is currently a lack of that. In July, more than one in four long-distance trains was six or more minutes late. “I’m very dissatisfied with how things are going at the moment,” says Ferlemann. “It has to get better and it will.”
Fewer ticket controls: Deutsche Bahn trains should be more punctual Delayed or canceled: What rights do you have? That’s why Germany is behind: These are the fastest trains in the world
The railway welcomed the federal initiative for a Germany-Takt. “It is an important basis for a timetable-based infrastructure development,” says a spokeswoman. The company will continue to discuss the details in the coming months.
Sources used: dpaMinisterium on “Deutschland-Takt” leaflet of the ministryFeasibility study article “Die Welt” Pro Bahn and VCD on “Deutschland-Takt” (pdf) show more sources less sources
Forgot your ticket again? You didn’t manage to take your ticket for the fourth time because of all the stress? And it is precisely at these moments that the controller comes – again. What is the threat of repeated fare dodging?
Forgetting your ticket at home or not having enough change for the ticket machine can happen every time. Many take the risk and then get on the train despite missing a ticket, are checked and not caught for the first time. Are you now facing a higher penalty than just a fine?
Prosecution if the ticket is missing
“Repeated fare dodgers have made themselves liable to prosecution by fraudulently providing services in accordance with Section 265a of the Criminal Code,” explains Christian Janeczek from the Traffic Law Working Group of the German Lawyers’ Association (DAV).
“There are a lot of prosecutions regarding the fraudulent use of such services,” reports attorney Janeczek. And that, although the providers of public transport by no means report the first or second time. “They often save the data, but only show the fare dodger in the event of repeated violations.” Each time, however, a civil penalty is due, the transport fee of a maximum of 60 euros.
What threatens to report?
It is not uncommon for the proceedings to be discontinued in exchange for a monetary requirement when it comes to first-time offenders – i.e. people who have not been conspicuous in any way, explains Janeczek. “That increases with repeated behavior.” The second time, the amount of the fine increases, after that there is a suspended prison sentence, and ultimately a prison sentence of several months is possible. “It doesn’t happen that rarely,” said the lawyer.
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One could argue that the first attempts are made – which are not displayed anyway. But Janeczek warns: Although companies often collect the fare dodges and, for example, only show them at the 20th repetition – but then all the fare dodges are displayed immediately. This means that you are considered a repeat offender and may receive a harsher punishment. Escaping during a ticket inspection is not itself a criminal offense. However, it is not recommended.
Sources used: dpa-tmn
The suitcases are packed, the journey can begin – but the train is delayed.top 100 argumentative essay topics That can really spoil your holiday mood – just like high ticket prices. Rail passengers must therefore plan properly – and should know their rights.
Delays on the train are annoying for customers. And they are not uncommon, as the company itself admits. Customers have to allow for time buffers when planning their trips and should know their rights. The Stiftung Warentest points this out. In May, for example, according to Deutsche Bahn, only 75.8 percent of long-distance trains reached their destination on time, i.e. less than six minutes later than the timetable. In April, 76.5 percent were on time, in March 75.3 percent, in February 80.4 percent. The company’s annual target is 82 percent.
Tips for rail customers
In the “test” magazine (issue 7/18) there are useful information and tips for rail travelers during the holiday season.
Refund in the event of delay
If a train is delayed, the train has to reimburse part of the ticket price. 25 percent of the fare is from 60 minutes late, 50 percent from 120 minutes. The decisive factor is the arrival time at the destination. If there is a delay of more than 20 minutes, there is no specific train connection, customers can then use alternative trains.
Expert tip: When booking, it is best to always set a transfer time of at least 15 minutes. This lowers the risk of missing the connecting train – at least in the event of minor delays. If you want to find out about delays, it is best to use the DB Navigator app. This can also provide information, for example, about incorrect train compositions.
Drive cheaply
Because many travelers use the cheap long-distance buses, the railway is increasingly setting low tariffs. The “super saver price” from 19.90 euros will be available permanently from August, but mainly on less frequented connections. And the City Ticket for local public transport to the start and destination will also be available without a Bahn Card in future. Deutsche Bahn recently announced these innovations.
At the beginning of June, Stiftung Warentest checked more than 450 travel options on the weekend of November 24th and 25th, 2018. For more than half of the trips there were tickets for 19.90 euros on Saturday, but only for less than a fifth on Sunday. Another sample of the testers showed: The lowest discounts are available for trips on Friday, but still up to 30 to 40 percent.
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Expert tip: the “Sparpreis-Finder” on the railway website. Also deactivate the option “Prefer fast connections” when booking. Then customers are often shown cheaper trains, some of which only take a little longer. The earlier you book, the better. However, bookings are possible a maximum of 180 days in advance – and only until the end of the annual timetable on December 8, 2018.
Sources used: dpa Stiftung Warentest on long-distance traffic and rail
In Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, the car body is being built for a new regional train that Siemens is producing for commuters. This is where the technology group also assembles the cars for the new ICE 4 – and this is where Siemens is developing its latest high-speed train: the “Velaro Novo”.
A team of up to 300 developers has been working on the future project of the train division since 2013. You are building the successor to the “Velaro” – in Germany as ICE 3 in service with Deutsche Bahn.
Up to 360 km / h
The two heads of the train division, the German Michael Peter and the French Sabrina Soussan, promise great things: the train should be faster, namely up to 360 kilometers per hour. It should be more economical and use a third less electricity at 300 km / h than its predecessor. It should be bigger and offer a tenth more space. And Siemens is also promising more flexibility: the buyer should be able to design the interior according to their wishes.
The timing of the presentation in the run-up to the Innotrans transport fair seems like a message from Krefeld to Paris. Because in August Siemens will spin off its mobility division from the parent company in order to merge it with the French train builder Alstom in the first half of 2019 at the latest.
ICE: “The Velaro Novo is our answer to global requirements in high-speed traffic,” says Sabrina Soussan, CEO of Siemens’ Mobility Division. (Source: www.siemens.com/presse)
Siemens boss Joe Kaeser had told the newspaper “Le Figaro”: “Siemens Alstom will be a French company.” With headquarters in France, a French boss and listing on the Paris stock exchange. But although Alstom is building a successful high-speed train with the TGV itself, Siemens is pushing ahead with its rival project. A test wagon of the “Velaro Novo” has been in service with Deutsche Bahn since April.
First train journey planned for 2023
The German prestige project should continue for years – also because Siemens has already invested a lot of money. According to the company, the first regular passengers could sit on the new train in 2023. However, there are no orders yet.
The “Velaro Novo” is a clear signal that the German half of the future group should not get under the wheels, at least for the next five to ten years. What that means in relation to the dismantling of double structures, i.e. where jobs are lost, as is the rule with mergers, remains to be seen. The two division heads are keeping a low profile: “Alstom and Siemens will remain competitors until the merger is complete,” emphasizes Soussan.
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When the native Parisian was asked which train she preferred, the ICE or the TGV, she replied with a smile: “Politically correct, I would say: I think both are good”.
Sources used: afp
Deutsche Bahn has taken over the majority of the CleverShuttle transport service. This offers new ways to get home for some travelers.
With CleverShuttle, passengers with similar destinations can use the so-called ride pooling service and have the train take them directly to their front door. The shared taxi is organized via an app.
New timetable from December: Deutsche Bahn increases ticket prices – “moderate” implementation could take years: Federal government announces new timetable model for Deutsche Bahn Curious Deutsche Bahn: “Delays in operations?” – It doesn’t exist
Leipzig is being expanded to become the company’s largest location in Germany, Deutsche Bahn announced. 45 electric vehicles are now ready for travelers at platform 1 of Leipzig’s main train station.
What is CleverShuttle?
CleverShuttle is a Berlin start-up. According to the railway, 70,000 people use the service nationwide every month. In addition to Leipzig, the service is offered in the following cities:
Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart.
Frankfurt / Main and Dresden are to be added later this year.
Sources used: dpa
Rail travel will be more expensive again this December – but this time the price increase will be “moderate”, according to Deutsche Bahn. The additional income should primarily benefit the travelers.
Deutsche Bahn will raise its ticket prices again at the end of the year. “On average, the prices of long-distance transport will rise well below the inflation rate, which is currently around two percent,” said rail boss Richard Lutz to the newspapers of the Funke media group. Lutz described the increase as moderate. “We want to support growth and capacity utilization with our pricing policy,” he says. The price increase will come into effect with the timetable change on December 9th.
Punctuality as a corporate goal
Lutz wants to further improve the punctuality of the railways, above all by digitizing the routes. According to the rail boss, the annual average punctuality was 76 percent. “The punctuality is not yet where we want it to be,” says Lutz. “The key to good operational quality and punctuality is capacity.”
For this reason, a number of changes are also to be made in terms of personnel at Deutsche Bahn. “We want to grow and will take on at least 15,000 new employees next year. This year it will be at least 19,000,” says the rail boss.
Most recently, the federal government announced a new timetable model, which should contribute to easier and faster travel by rail – a crucial point here is also improving the punctuality of German trains.
This is why Germany is chasing: These are the fastest trains in the world Train to flight: Who is liable in the event of delays? Plan a train journey correctly: With these tips, rail customers can get to their destination cheaply
In spite of the advancing autonomous driving in the next few years, train drivers will “still be needed”, says Lutz. “It will be a long time before driverless operation on our rails.”
Sources used: dpa, afp
Little Macedonia gets a new name. This ends a long dispute with neighboring Greece. You can find out what it was about and what the country is now called here.
The foreign ministers of Greece and Macedonia have signed a provisional agreement aimed at ending the decades-old dispute over the name of Macedonia. The document signed in the town of Psarades near the border stipulates that Macedonia will in future bear the official name “Republic of North Macedonia”. It still has to be approved by the parliaments of both countries and in a referendum in Macedonia.
The Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke in Psarades of a “courageous, historic and necessary step for our peoples”. The agreement “opens a way for peace, brotherhood and growth for our countries, the Balkans and Europe”.
Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said: “We will be partners and allies.” Both countries “step out of the past and look to the future”.
It is of course still open whether the agreement will survive the parliamentary hurdles and the referendum. The agreement met with significant reservations in both countries.
