BahnCard
Unlike airline loyalty programs, but similarly to the UK Railcard, the BahnCard entitles the passenger to a discount price and must be purchased prior to travel.
[4] More than half of the passenger revenue of DB Fernverkehr (long-distance) comes from tickets sold to BahnCard holders.
BahnCard holders can also call a discounted hotline printed on the cards, and an optional travel insurance can be included.
A major advertising campaign was started by the (then called) Bundesbahn, where the card was marketed under the slogan travel for a year for half the price.
Despite a high-profile marketing campaign, customers largely rejected the "better BahnCard"; only 390,000 were sold by May 1996 instead of the projected 1.5 million.
In 1995, the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund was the first local public transport network outside Deutsche Bahn to join the BahnCard system.
Long distance DB tickets with Frankfurt as a destination also allowed a single free connecting journey for non-BahnCard customers.
Commuters who held season tickets of the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund could now also use Intercity, Eurocity, and InterCityExpress trains in the Rhein-Main area for a small surcharge.
The justification was that the Bahncard discount was now valid on top of the new saver fares (called Plan-und-Spar) that offered discounts of up to 40% on the standard fares but were only available under certain conditions (non-exchangeable; booking more than 3 days in advance; return journey required; "weekend rule"; limited number of seats).
In March 2024, DB announced to no longer issue BahnCard 25 and 50 as an actual plastic card from July 2024, making the use of its corresponding smartphone apps mandatory to access the virtual variant.
It is aimed primarily at frequent travellers who want the convenience and flexibility of being able to hop on a train without making prior arrangements.
Since May 2023, the BahnCard 100 includes the Deutschlandticket, and thereby allows the user to use all local public transport networks across Germany.
[20] The BahnCard 100 is aimed at business travellers and heavy train users who make more than 30 long-distance journeys a year.
Card holders enjoy a number of privileges, like free baggage collection from home, and access to VIP lounges at train stations.
The car sharing service offered by Deutsche Bahn can be used at discounted rates by card holders.
Some German employers issue the Bahncard 100 as a substitute for a company car[21] and this function is intended to make the card a more attractive alternative.
An electronic key based on RFID technology is integrated into the card, which can be used to unlock carsharing vehicles parked near train stations.
[22] Deutsche Bahn is in the process of expanding the Bahncard to a fully fledged "mobility card", offering discounts on other transport related services, such as hotel reservations, car rental, car sharing, public transport, bicycle hire, and other services.
[23] BahnCard 100 holders are eligible for unlimited public transport travel in the City-ticket zone of participating cities, regardless of whether they book a DB long-distance journey or not.
