Passenger rights
July 29, 2009
The stereotype of German punctuality is usually embodied by the country's train system. But when it doesn't and a train is seriously late, customers can now do something about it.
Beginning on Wednesday, passengers whose trains are an hour late or more can get a refund of 25 percent of the cost of their ticket. If the train is two hours late or more, they can get a 50 percent refund. This goes for everything from regional trains to the high-speed ICE.
After 20 minutes of waiting, customers can choose to take another train, and after 60 minutes they can choose to cancel their purchase for a full refund.
In the case that the last train of the day is cancelled or if the customer will not be able to reach his or her final destination before midnight, the train company will pay up to 80 euros ($113) for a taxi or bus ticket.
These new rights don't come into play, however, when the delay is caused by something out of the control of the train companies, such as a bomb threat or extreme weather. The strikes that sometimes bring German trains to a halt are still a "gray zone."
hf/AP/dpa
Editor: Chuck Penfold