Criticism for Deutsche Bahn: Exclusion of millions of people without internet access

Von NAG Redaktion

Kritik am digitalen Bahncard-Angebot: Der Paritätische Gesamtverband und 27 weitere Verbände sehen einen Ausschluss großer Bevölkerungsteile, die das Internet nicht nutzen. Erfahre mehr in unserem Artikel.
Criticism of the digital BahnCard offer: The parity overall association and 27 other associations see an exclusion of large parts of the population that do not use the Internet. Find out more in our article. (Symbolbild/MB)

The parity overall association together with 27 other associations criticizes Deutsche Bahn for its plan to only offer the BahnCard digitally from June 9th. The association points out that this excludes a large part of the population who does not use the Internet. According to the association, more than three million people in Germany do not use Internet and are therefore dependent on the analogy access to Deutsche Bahn mobility offers. There are hardly any internet users, especially among the over 80 year olds.

Access to savings price tickets has been restricted since October last year and can no longer be purchased at the counter without providing personal data such as email address or mobile number. Barrier-free service switches are also rarely available outside of large train stations.

Ulrich Schneider, General Manager of the Parity Association, asks Deutsche Bahn to make the BahnCard and the savings tickets accessible to all people, regardless of whether they use the Internet or not.

The signing organizations emphasize that they are not concerned with completely rejecting digital offers. Rather, they are concerned with the unequal treatment of people who are online and offline. It could not be that millions of people who cannot or do not want to use the Internet for various reasons are systematically disadvantaged by Deutsche Bahn. The railway is an important means of transport that should be available to all people to the same extent, including older people.

The Bagso- Federal Working Group of Senior Corporation, the German Blind and Visual Course Association (DBSV), the Verkehrsclub Deutschland e.V. (VCD) and the Parity Association have initiated the open letter. In the letter you ask Deutsche Bahn to make the BahnCard and the savings tickets accessible to everyone, regardless of whether people use the Internet or not.

Here is the link to download the letter: [Link]

Context information: Deutsche Bahn has increasingly rely on digital offers in recent years and has expanded the sale of tickets and railcards online. This has made it possible to buy your tickets comfortably from home and to show them digitally in the app or on your smartphone. However, this has also caused people to be disadvantaged without internet access or digital skills. Older people or people with restricted digital competence are particularly affected by this development.

Table:

| Associations | BAGSO- Federal Working Group of Senior Corporations, DBSV- German Blind and Visually Impaired Association, VCD- Verkehrsclub Deutschland e.V., Parity Association |
| - | - |
| Critique of criticism | The plan of Deutsche Bahn to offer the BahnCard only digitally from June 9th |
| Problems | Exclusion of people without internet access, especially older |
| Requirements | Access to BahnCard and savings tickets for all people, regardless of the internet benefit |
| Meaning of the train | Important means of transport that should be available to all people to the same extent |
| Responsible associations | BAGSO, DBSV, VCD, parity overall association |


Source: parity welfare association/ots