DB Navigator app for purchasing tickets

For my last flight in the USA, my Q code wasn't readable at the TSA checkpoint, meaning a trip to a (newly installed) nearby ticket kiosk to print a hard copy that would scan. Before that kiosk was installed, I would have been looking at two short airport train rides, and lots of walking, to get that ticket. The ONE time I didn't have a hard copy as a back-up...

So...I would have either a backup copy of the ticket, or whatever physical proof DB says it will accept, and bring it with me. I like to reduce stress while on vacation ;-)

I assume that the DB app works well, since most of their sevices do, and are used by locals a lot. Inthis office, I don't believe we have tried that format, but printing at home has worked well.

I didn't mention in my post that the first time I used print-at-home tickets for Italy, the ticket-taker looked at my ticket, turned it over and over as if searching for something, looked completely perplexed, walked off with it...and finally returned with it. He scanned it, his scanner-thingy went 'ping!', he handed it back to me, then moved on to his next victim ;-) This was only three years ago, and on the Florence-Rome train (not some milk run in the boondocks where they'd never seen a print-at-home ticket). By comparison, several days later my Naples-Rome ticket-taker took my sheet of paper, scanned it, then handed it back to me with a 'Grazie!'.

Ya never know.

I'm only suggesting that you have a back-up of some sort. A bit of redundancy has served me well in the past. I've read about waaaay too many people who've gotten to the airport only to realize their phone battery was dead. I'd like to think that I wouldn't do that...but in the haze of travel, your phone just might not get charged the way it would at home - there may be two or more of you competing for one outlet to charge your phones, cameras, etc. Plus, you may be using your phone more than you normally do for taking photos, consulting timetables, etc., and draining your battery faster than usual. I've also read about trains that had no hand-held scanners, or they were kaputt, and the ticket-takers actually wanted other forms of proof-of-purchase from the passengers. Remember - the customer is always right in the USA, not so much in other places such as Europe.

FWIW, I've learned (from redeeming many coupons!) to make sure your phone screen isn't too clean - too clean = too reflective.

Sue,

I've got that App but have never used it to purchase tickets. I prefer to have a "hard copy" in hand rather than relying on technology which may not be operational when I need it. For the same reason, I won't use electronic boarding passes.

Thanks all. After thinking about the things that could go wrong with using the phone app, I decided to scrap that idea :) I just printed my very first ticket from the DB Bahn website. All went well - and I got a great savings by purchasing ahead of time.
I want to thank all of you for all the advice on this forum. Last year we didn't do the research and purchased a select pass. Now realize we spent way too much money on the pass vs. purchasing point to point tickets.
Gotta love all the expertise!