How travellers can navigate the ‘last mile’ with Deutsche Bahn's updated app

Deutsche Bahn (DB) is adding new features to its Navigator app intended to allow travellers to plan and travel even the last few kilometres from the train station to their final destination.

Traditionally, DB’s travel app has enabled users to book tickets, check real-time train schedules, receive travel notifications, reserve seats, and find connections for local, regional, and long-distance rail travel.

It also offers integration with subways, buses, and trams.

The new feature focuses on addressing the so-called “last mile” problem – the challenge of travelling between a train station and the traveller’s home or other destination, which often requires switching to a different type of transportation.

With the latest update, DB Navigator users can access sharing options for bicycles and e-scooters directly within the app, displayed under a new Umgebung (Nearby) tab. On an interactive map, the app will show available vehicles nearby.

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Which new services are available?

Currently, last-mile travel options include the use of share bicycles from Deutsche Bahn’s subsidiary Call a Bike and e-scooters operated by Dott.

Users won’t actually be able to book a bike or scooter through the DB Navigator app.

Instead, when a vehicle is selected the app provides a QR code scanner and redirects to the respective provider’s app for booking and unlocking the ride.

Call a Bike

Call a Bike, Deutsche Bahn’s own bike-sharing service, operates nationwide with a fleet of over 15,000 bicycles.

It is available in more than 70 cities across Germany and at about 300 regional and long-distance train stations, including major cities like Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Cologne.

The system recently transitioned to a fully station-based model, where bikes must be picked up and returned at designated stations.

Initial rides of up to 60 minutes are usually free or low-cost depending on tariffs, with charges typically starting after the first hour at about €1 per 15 minutes.

Daily caps of around €9 are designed to make longer rides affordable.

Dott

Dott e-scooters are widely available across Germany, operating in over 100 German cities including major urban centres such as Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne.

Renting a Dott e-scooter typically involves a fixed activation fee – generally around €1 in cities like Berlin – plus a per-minute charge during the ride. Rates generally range from about €0.15 to €0.20 per minute.