Cost of German long-distance train journeys to rise by up to 7%

Just in time for Christmas travel, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn is raising the prices for long-distance train journeys. Prices with discount cards will also become more expensive, the company announced on Wednesday.
According to the announcement, Deutsche Bahn will raise the so-called flex fares by an average of almost 7% from December 11.
The prices for tickets bought with the three Bahncard tickets, which give passengers a 25, 50 or 100% discount per journey, will rise by 4.9%.
However, the saver and supersaver prices, of which a certain number is always available per journey from €21.90 and €17.90 ($21.02 and $17.18) respectively, remain unchanged, according to Deutsche Bahn. The reservation costs for seats also remain the same, the railway operator announced.
The supervisory board was informed about the changes beforehand, it said.
As a reason for the higher prices, the company points to the significantly increased energy costs, which also had an impact on the railway.
"Like many other companies, [Deutsche Bahn] is forced to react to the massive price increases by adjusting its prices," it said. "For regional transport, the German tariff association had already announced an average price adjustment of 4% at the beginning of September."
The group stressed that it would remain below the current inflation rate with the new adjustments.
The new timetable, which will be valid from December 11, can be booked from October 12, according to the railway operator. Up to and including December 10, the new offers can still be booked at the old price.