October 14, 2025, 9:02 am | Read time: 5 minutes
Frequent travelers with Deutsche Bahn (DB) likely no longer rely on the availability of onboard dining options. The bistro and restaurant are often closed due to technical issues or staff shortages, or at least do not offer full service. Similarly, it would be naive to plan on handling emails or other tasks requiring a stable internet connection during the train ride–the Wi-Fi often fails. Increasingly, the question arises: Why pay for more expensive Deutsche Bahn tickets when these additional services–which are supposed to justify part of the price–regularly fall short? Especially since no compensation is currently offered. Yet! TRAVELBOOK reports on current demands in favor of passengers.
It’s fair to say: Things are pretty messed up at Deutsche Bahn right now. Construction work on numerous routes leads to schedule changes, causing significant disruptions in operations. Additionally, holiday periods with increased passenger numbers present challenges for the provider. Delays and canceled connections are possible outcomes. For these, at least, the railway offers compensation. To make the potentially extended travel time more pleasant, both functioning Wi-Fi and an open bistro or restaurant would be helpful. The latter is a supposed argument for booking with the railway over competitors like Flixtrain, which lacks food and beverage services: Their trains are not equipped with such services. But in practice, things often don’t look much better at DB.
No Compensation When Bistro and Wi-Fi Are Unavailable
Some people enjoy sitting in the onboard restaurant–if only for the novelty of unexpected encounters. Even if the culinary offerings don’t appeal to everyone (and that’s a matter of taste), dining in the dining car has a romantic appeal for many. However, the restaurant and bistro are often unstaffed. This is likely to annoy even those who don’t care for either–especially when a snack is needed on longer journeys. It’s particularly frustrating when the trip takes longer than planned due to delays. As mentioned: frustrating–nothing more, nothing less.
“According to the transportation conditions, there is no entitlement to a staffed onboard bistro,” explains Detlef Neuß, federal chairman of the passenger association Pro Bahn, in response to a TRAVELBOOK inquiry. Passengers are not entitled to financial compensation. The same applies to functioning Wi-Fi. To offer compensation to passengers denied these additional services, a change in the railway’s transportation conditions would be necessary. However, Neuß notes: “Since DB Fernverkehr is a corporation obligated to profit-oriented operations, a change in transportation conditions is not anticipated.”
What Neuß means is: It is currently unlikely that DB will introduce compensation for a failed bistro or Wi-Fi. Simply because they don’t have to. It’s different with significant delays and train cancellations. According to the EU regulation 2021/782, effective since 2023, travelers are entitled to compensation of 25 percent of the fare for delays of 60 minutes, and 50 percent for delays of 120 minutes. This legal compensation obligation applies exclusively to transportation services, not to additional services like dining or internet. Introducing voluntary additional service guarantees would hardly be sensible from a business perspective for DB.
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Why Deutsche Bahn’s Wi-Fi Often Doesn’t Work
States Push for Legal Regulation
One possibility is for the federal government or the EU to legally mandate that additional services like Wi-Fi or onboard dining must be reimbursable. There are corresponding demands: Several states advocated for such a regulation in a joint resolution in July. They emphasize the importance of reliable service during train travel, as reported by the “Rheinische Post.” The states urge the federal government to examine the introduction of legal compensation rules. They are supported by politicians from various parties and passenger associations. “Of course, we would support a change in transportation conditions in the interest of passengers,” Pro Bahn chairman Neuß also emphasizes to TRAVELBOOK.
What Does Deutsche Bahn Say About This?
Deutsche Bahn describes both the onboard dining options and Wi-Fi as “voluntary additional services.” Their availability depends on technical and personnel factors; compensation for their failure is not currently planned. TRAVELBOOK has inquired with the press office about the company’s stance on the recent demands. A response is still pending.