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OEBB ticket for myself and my wife from Wien to Prague shows my name on both tickets -- problem?

Quick details: coming from California, going on 3 week Europe trip to 6 countries.

When I purchased tickets via OEBB for our train from Wien to Prague (the EC 70), the print-at-home tickets had my name on both tickets. I don't recall getting the chance to put my wife's name on her ticket. Each ticket is distinct and has a different (adjacent) seat number, but has my name on both tickets. I clearly wasn't planning on traveling by myself and putting my feet up.

My wife was concerned, and I contacted OEBB, who said that they said it MIGHT be a problem, and to ask the conductor to let her use it. They said it MIGHT be okay, but they couldn't guarantee it; plus since they said the tickets were print-at-home, I couldn't change or cancel the reservation.

Has anyone else had a similar problem, and how was it handled? We arrive into Prague later in the evening to meet an AIRBNB reservation and don't want to be stuck in Wien.

p.s. - lower priority questions
- our DB Bahn tickets as well as Trenitalia tickets also only have my name, but it seems to just be one ticket for both reservations for each of those trains. This is normal I assume.

  • My wife does not share my last name, and we are of different races. Would a situation ever arise where our marriage would be in question or that we'd need to prove it (like in the above situation in Wien where the conductor might be incredulous)?
Posted by
16893 posts

This is normal. Train tickets bought online tend to display only the name of one "lead traveler" from the group. You can bring whomever you want, up to the number of passengers stated on the ticket. They may check your ID or the credit card used for purchase, to avoid people photocopying these e-tickets. Tickets sold in train stations don't normally have any name on them.

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you! I want to just clarify a detail in case it might lead to a different opinion:

My DB Bahn and Trenitalia tickets was only one ticket, with just my name, and said it was for 2 passengers. I think those are fine?

However, my OEBB ticket is actually two separate tickets for one person each, both with my name (they each say "MY NAME - 01 ERWACHSENE"). Another forum had warned that this might cause trouble for when we arrive in Prague and the conductors in Czech might reference the name on the ticket with our passports.

Might this prove to be a complication?

Posted by
4637 posts

When you arrive in Prague nobody will want your ticket or passport. (Well, hotel will want your passport). Conductor on the train will check your ticket.

Posted by
32706 posts

You're also using another forum?!?!?!?

It won't be a problem. Really. It is normal.

Posted by
3 posts

Just remembered this thread, wanted to update in case anybody ever looked this up again:

OEBB customer support still said they couldn't guarantee the tickets would be accepted.

However, there were no problems with the ticket, they didn't care about the names.

Thanks everyone!

Posted by
4140 posts

This has happened to us , and has not been a problem in Austria or anywhere else it has occurred .