Comment by codegeek
1 year ago
As a foreigner, I am currently travelling for work in Europe and had a DB train from Munich all the way to Ljubljana (Slovenia) through multiple connections. Interestingly, the trains were on time until we were in Germany but when I reached the last connection in Villach (Austria), suddenly they cancelled the train from Villach->Ljubljuana without any notice at last minute. As a foreigner without any understanding, I had to scramble through and find a Flixbus which thankfully I was able to buy tickets online.
Look for using Bus like Flixbus as an alternative if possible. They are not perfect but more reliable than the DB train for sure.
Flixbus: can book online, include bicycle. Actual bus: we don't take bikes.
I actually use flixbusses a lot. Great for pleasant journeys at a good price to see other places.
> Look for using Bus like Flixbus as an alternative if possible. They are not perfect but more reliable than the DB train for sure.
I wouldn't recommend that, at least not for longer rides. Apart from the fact that I don't trust their overworked drivers (there was a big accident this year that may have been caused by a conflict between the drivers, according to some witness reports), its cheapness also tends to attract rather unsavoury individuals. I have all sorts of horror stories, from the guy (probably on some drugs) who started shouting multiple times in the middle of the night, to some dude who fell asleep with his orange juice bottle still open, which then spilled all over me, to the guy who thought it was a good idea to take drugs across the Swiss border (which caused a massive delay as, of course, his baggage was then extensively searched), etc. I've met weird people on trains too, but Flixbus is a whole other level.
Villach to Ljubljana is a joined ÖBB and SŽ line, not Deutsch Bahn. Your ticket was with DB, but the train getting cancelled had absolutely nothing to do with them.
If you had asked at the Reisezentrum at Villach station you would have been presented with options to continue your journey, or get a refund.
Understood but from my perspective, the cause doesn't matter. I booked through DB and it was not a good experience. Was my very first Time and I had a few minutes to decide what to do as I had people waiting in Ljubljuana. Didnt even have time for a refund for that portion of the journey.
I have decided to not take the train next time for sure if I can. Will try bus first.
Regardless, your experience has nothing to do with this topic or DB. And you could have gotten a partial refund quite easily, even after taking alternative transport. Refunds for delays is something DB has worked out pretty reliably. Filling out the online form is trivial, and if you use the DB app most fields are prefilled.
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This is one of the worst parts of European train travel these days - while airlines are forced to find you replacement connection, give you hotel and even pay you a fee if they're late, there's nothing like that for trains.
So you can end up with a blame game of "well, you bought a ticket from DB, but OBB fscked up, good luck being stuck in the middle of nowhere!" situation that makes you wish you took a plane.