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URGENT! Help canceling online ticket on Deutsche Bahn's Web site

Posted by (Bend, Oregon, USA) on

We are postponing our trip to Europe (pet illness) and want to see if we can get part or all of our Deutsche Bahn train tickets refunded -- or at least change the date on them to some point in the future.

I am able to log in to My Bahn using my login and e-mail address, but when I enter the order numbers of our tickets, it says there are no bookings under those numbers (tried both lower- and uppercase). I'm pretty sure I'm using the right order numbers, since they are listed in both the confirmation e-mails and online tickets from DB. I have tried calling DB five times now, and only once have I been transferred to an English-speaking person -- and she told me to call back in the morning because she was just the operator.

The first of the tickets is for travel on this Tuesday, so if I don't cancel it soon, it will be too late.

Posted by
19274 posts

What kind of tickets (full fare, night trains, Dauer-Spezial, SparPreis, etc) do you have?

Posted by
18 posts

One says Europa-Spezial/Europa-Spez. Belgien; the other says Dauer-Spezial.

Posted by
19274 posts

OK, Cory

Let me check into this further, because both of these are discount tickets are sold as "non-refundable". However, some of these tickets are transferrable or partially refundable up to the day before travel. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Usually, if these tickets are cancelable (with a penalty) and I don't know that they are, it will be up until the day before travel.

Posted by
19274 posts

So far, I don't see anything to indicate that the Dauer-Spezial tickets are anything except non-refundable (that is why they are so cheap).

Posted by
19274 posts

No, I don't think the Dauer-Spezial tickets can be changed or refunded. However, it looks like the Europa-Spezial Belgien tickets are transferable up to the day before travel. Keep trying that DB number, 1805-99 66 33. Remember, their business day in Germany starts around 11 PM Oregon time and closes around 7 AM, Oregon time.

Posted by
18 posts

Thanks very much, Lee. I'll keep trying that number and hope that I get through to someone who speaks English.

Posted by
18 posts

No luck calling that number on my own (was told "One moment" and then put on hold for five-plus minutes).

So I bit the bullet and paid a third-party interpretation service to interpret the call. I was able to get all but 15 euros back on the Europa-Spezial ticket; the Dauer-Spezial ticket is a throwaway.

Posted by
19274 posts

I've called DB three times.

The first time I called, I asked if they spoke English. I can speak a little German, but I thought if that person spoke English it would be easier. She said, "Moment", and put me on hold for about 5 minutes, then someone came on who spoke very good English.

The second time I just said, in German, "I can try to speak German, but this will be easier if you can speak English." She just said, "Try German". I asked my question and got an answer that made sense. I don't know if I could have gotten someone who spoke English that day.

The third time I just started speaking in German and the guy recognised my American accent and answered in perfect English.

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