Deutsche Bahn Family Ticket: 99 Euros for the Whole Family – Now Permanent

Family outing by train? That often turned into a math problem: two adults, two kids, four tickets at the counter – and the weekend trip quickly ran into triple digits. That's exactly the problem Deutsche Bahn is now tackling. Instead of letting the offer expire after summer, the 99-Euro Family Ticket becomes part of the permanent lineup.

Over the summer, the Bahn said it had been testing a flat-rate ticket for families. Due to strong demand, it is now being incorporated into the permanent offering, according to Die Zeit. Tagesschau also confirms: the originally time-limited offer is not being withdrawn but will remain in the program.

Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla reportedly called the flat rate a success – a clear signal that the company is taking families seriously as a target group. The move responds to a complaint that train travelers with children have known for years: spontaneous weekend outings or visits to the grandparents often fell apart at the fare structure before the train even left.

What's behind the 99-Euro Family Ticket?

The Family Ticket is a flat-rate offering for families – one price, one trip, everyone together. The exact details of how the flat rate is conditioned, which routes and connections it applies to, and which companion rules kick in are not entirely clear from the available reports. Both sources on hand, however, clearly speak of a successful concept that the Bahn wants to make permanent.

For families, this means above all: predictability. Anyone who knows that a weekend will take place on an ICE train rather than in the family car can factor in the price from the start – without having to navigate the tariff jungle of Flexpreis, Sparpreis, and Super-Sparpreis first.

Who can use the ticket – and who can't?

Deutsche Bahn has explicitly promoted the Family Ticket for families. In the logic of such offers, it is aimed at parents or adults with their own children – the exact age limits and companion rules will be shown in the official booking conditions once the permanent offer is officially launched. Anyone who has already tested the ticket over the summer already knows the conditions – everyone else is advised to check the tariff regulations before their first booking.

What does "permanent" actually mean?

Both available reports – Die Zeit and Tagesschau – agree that the ticket is to be offered on a permanent basis. The sources do not, however, mention a specific launch date or an official press release from the Bahn. In practice, this means: the ticket won't disappear when the summer deadline expires, but will remain in the booking system – the exact timing of the switch from summer to permanent offering will become clear in the coming days.

Our Verdict

The Bahn's decision is above all a signal: families are being taken more seriously as a target group than they were just a few years ago. Anyone who already travels regularly with parents and children should keep an eye on the new permanent offering – a weekend trip to Cologne, Hamburg, or Munich can suddenly become significantly cheaper than expected with a flat-rate ticket. Those who only travel by train every few months are best advised to do the math themselves: flat rate versus the sum of individual tickets – that's when it becomes clear whether the Family Ticket really pays off.