from the USA, just purchased ticket for myself and wife, but only my name is on the ticket, have 2 seats reserved. When I bought the ticket, I did add my wife's name. I am waiting for response from Bahn themselves, but figuring that some help from all of you might help
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
That is standard practice. Tickets purchased in the station don't use names at all. Tickets bought online can have a name added "for your convenience" and so they can ask for ID and reduce fraud (e.g. duplicating of tickets that are printed at home on plain paper).
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
More important than the name is the credit card number. They will ask for the card used to make the purchase to validate the ticket.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23546 posts
You are not flying on a train that needs to check your name against the terrorist list. All they want to see is two tickets and generally the credit card used to purchase the tickets.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19232 posts
I've bought Bahn tickets online a number of times, and the only name on them is the name of the purchaser (and the last four digits of the credit card used to purchase the ticket).
Posted by
Seattle, Washington
682 posts
No problem with just one name. But, to go a little further on the credit card, it needs to be the one you used to make the purchase. If it has been replaced before you travel, just bring the old one. It's used for verification, not to process charges.
If you'll have use of a cell phone while you're traveling, the Bahn app is a great resource. We traveled by train in Germany quite a bit last year and, whenever there was a delay or problem, the app would explain the problem in English.
Posted by
San Francisco
14761 posts
I have bought from DB a few 92 days out discounted tickets paying on-line with an American credit card. No problems. When your ticket checked on the train, be sure to show the credit card used to purchase the ticket, even if in the mean time the bank closed your account.