Deutsche Bahn's (DB) punctuality was worse in 2024 than it had been in over 20 years, DPA reported on Sunday.
As a result, Germany's national railway operator paid out around €197 million to affected travellers last year.
Passengers on DB trains can be entitled to compensation when trains that they booked are cancelled at the last minute, or significantly delayed.
In a report released by DB, the company counted around 6.9 million compensation applications that had been submitted last year.Â
In comparison, 5.6 million applications were processed the year before in 2023, and €132.8 million was paid out.
READ ALSO:Â Train passengers in Germany see rising number of Deutsche Bahn cancellations
More than one in three long-distance DB trains was considered delayed last year, in other words 37.5 percent of the destinations were reached with a delay of six minutes or more.
How is DB dealing with its increase in delayed trains?
"If the train is delayed and our passengers are entitled to compensation, then we pay them without ifs and buts," a DB spokesman told the Bild am Sonntag this week.
When trains are delayed for an hour or more, DB staff usually move through the train telling affected passengers how they can apply for compensation.Â
With only 62.5 percent of DB's long-distance trains (ICE and IC) on time last year, the company's punctuality was worse than it had been in at least 21 years.Â
DB has pointed to infrastructure issues as being a major factor creating delays in recent years. By 2030, the group wants to fundamentally renovate 41 busy corridors, which is expected to help improve reliability.
"By the end of 2027, DB wants to increase the punctuality of ICE and IC trains to 75 to 80 percent," said the spokesman.
What are the rules on being compensated for delayed trains?
According to the EU regulations, passengers are entitled to some reimbursement of travel costs when their trains arrive more than an hour behind schedule - even in the event of a strike.Â
If you arrive at your destination one hour late, you are entitled to a reimbursement of 25 percent of the fare. If you arrive two hours late, you're entitled to 50 percent of the fare back.
You also have the right to cancel your trip and request a full refund when it's already cleat that your train will be at least one hour late at its destination before you get on - or if you call off the trip and return to the departure station.
EXPLAINED: How to get compensation for delayed or cancelled trains in Germany
When can I change trains due to delays?
When there’s an expected delay of at least 20 minutes at the destination station, passengers are entitled to take another train.
Faster trains and trains with higher ticket values can also be used, provided they don't require reservations. In the event that you do need to pay for an additional ticket or a surcharge at first, you can later reclaim these costs from DB due to the delay.
This is handy to know if you've booked a multi-transfer route across the country. If you miss a train because one of your connections was delayed, you can go ahead and hop on any train that will take you toward your booked destination. In some cases this could allow you to travel onward on a high-speed long-distance train with your now delayed regional train ticket.
READ ALSO: What are your rights when you miss a train in Germany due to delays?
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