Overview

• The transport group VCD delivered an online petition with about 128,000 signatures pressing for the family reservation to return at the December timetable change.
• The eliminated option had allowed parents to reserve seats for up to five people for €10.40 on long‑distance trains; since mid‑June, each traveler, including children, must have an individual reservation.
• A typical four‑person family now pays roughly €44 extra for round‑trip seat reservations, according to the VCD.
• Deutsche Bahn defends the change, saying only around 5% of long‑distance passengers used the offer and noting that children under 14 still ride free with an adult, though reservations cost extra.
• New CEO Evelyn Palla said in late September that reinstating the family reservation is not currently planned.