💡 The Deutschlandticket is a monthly subscription for local and regional transport across the country; it is usually bought in an app or online and can be cancelled before the end of the month.
💡 Einzelfahrkarte is a single ticket, Tageskarte a day ticket, Kurzstrecke a short-distance ticket for a few stops. The area is divided into fare zones.
💡 The inspector says Die Fahrkarten, bitte or Fahrscheinkontrolle; the ticket is shown on the phone or on paper and should be at hand.
💡 Travelling without a valid ticket (Schwarzfahren) carries a higher fine (erhöhtes Beförderungsentgelt); if you did have a ticket but could not show it, in many cities you can present it later for a small fee.
💡 The Deutschlandticket is a monthly subscription: you must cancel by a certain day of the month (usually the tenth); check the terms of your provider and keep the confirmation.
💡 Small children travel free (the age depends on the city), older ones with a children's ticket (Kinderticket); for a family there is often a Familienkarte or a group ticket.
💡 Hin und zurück is return, einfache Fahrt is single, Sitzplatzreservierung is a seat reservation.
💡 Gleis is the platform with a number, Abfahrt departure, Ankunft arrival; on the board look for the train number, direction and Gleis.
💡 The lost property office (Fundbüro) at the station and the online Fundservice take reports of lost items; describe the item, colour, place and time.
💡 A bike on a regional train usually needs a separate ticket (Fahrradkarte) and there is limited space; check at the ticket desk or in the app.
💡 You can reserve a seat on the ICE for a small fee (Sitzplatzreservierung); on the train look for the carriage number (Wagen) and the seat (Platz).
💡 A Sparpreis is a cheaper ticket, but Zugbindung means it is valid only for the named train; if the train is twenty minutes or more late the restriction is lifted.
💡 A Schließfach is a locker at the station: you choose a compartment, put your things in and pay at the machine; you get a code or a key, so keep it safe.
💡 If a delay exceeds a certain limit, passengers are entitled to a partial refund; keep the ticket and fill in a form in the app or at the station.
💡 Zugausfall is a cancelled train, Schienenersatzverkehr buses replacing trains; they are marked with a SEV sign.
💡 If a train is sixty minutes or more late the passenger is entitled to part of the fare: fill in the Fahrgastrechte form (online or on paper) and keep your ticket.
💡 You board the bus at the front and show the ticket to the driver; the Halt button (stop on request) is pressed in advance.
💡 In German public transport people ask Ist hier noch frei? and usually hear Ja, bitte; seats near the doors are often left for elderly people and parents with children.
💡 Umsteigen is to change, Linie the route, Haltestelle the stop, Endstation the terminus; on boards lines are marked with a number or letter (U2, S5, Bus 12).
💡 aussteigen means to get off and einsteigen to get on; the driver or passengers will gladly tell you, and in big cities stops are announced and shown on a screen.
💡 On the platform look at the display for the Richtung (direction) and the final stop: the train goes in Richtung Flughafen (towards the airport); check this before boarding.
💡 In Germany taxis are often ordered by phone or in an app; the dispatcher asks for the address, time and phone number.
💡 The driver usually switches on the meter (Taxameter); the tip is a few euros or rounding up: Stimmt so.
💡 In German taxis you can usually pay by card, but it is better to ask before the ride; you tip (Trinkgeld) by rounding the amount up.