Bahn starts discount offensive: This is how your ticket prices fall!

Bahn starts discount offensive: This is how your ticket prices fall!

Deutsche Bahn is faced with the challenge of improving the utilization of its long-distance trains. According to information from ZVW The utilization of the ICE and IC trains was around 44 percent in the first four months of 2025. Although this figure represents a slight improvement compared to the same period last year, it remains below the annual target of 50 percent. The weak April, characterized by construction sites and extended travel times, dampened demand again.

Stefanie Berk, the sales and marketing manager for long-distance transport at Deutsche Bahn, said that many potential passengers are currently looking for alternatives. This also includes healthy competition Statista documented as the railway tries to optimize its services. The railway wants to attract more travelers to its long-distance transport, especially during public holidays.

New discount campaigns for customer loyalty

In order to stimulate demand, Deutsche Bahn is planning various discount campaigns for different groups of passengers. The new offers include discounts for younger and older passengers as well as for business travelers. Early birders who book their tickets more than four weeks in advance receive a 20 percent discount on the flex price, which can be canceled free of charge up to one day before the trip. In addition, the number of Super Sparpreis Young Tickets for under-26s will be doubled to 30,000 every day, with prices starting at 12.99 euros for ICE journeys, such as daily news reported.

In addition, Deutsche Bahn will offer over one million additional saver fare tickets in March to win back lost passengers who dropped out due to delays and high prices. Particularly cheap trips are available for routes such as Stuttgart-Heidelberg or Hamburg-Bremen from 9.99 euros and for Frankfurt-Cologne or Berlin-Leipzig from 14.99 euros. These saver prices are often cheaper than the regular flex price, but require you to be tied to specific trains.

Competition and challenges

Competition on the transport market is strong, especially from the Deutschlandticket and long-distance bus providers who also offer low ticket prices. Deutsche Bahn is also planning an extensive renovation program to modernize 41 heavily frequented corridors by 2030. This is necessary because punctuality in 2024 has been historically poor with over a third of trains being late, undermining passenger confidence.

However, there remains hope that the new measures and discounts will have a positive impact on travel behavior and that train utilization can be continuously increased. By increasing saver price offers and focusing on different target groups, Deutsche Bahn wants to sustainably improve the attractiveness of its long-distance transport market.