You can buy your FIP ticket for DB from a DB ticket office or, since 1 October, from the company’s website. Only on this link. The link WORKS. You do not need to select a discount as it is automatically applied when you use the above link. The discount is applied if it is available on the journey you are looking for. You can see if a FIP discount is available on the ‘Offers’ page. The FIP discount applies ONLY to the full fare, so some public fares may be cheaper.

The site is only available in German, enter your origin, your destination and the date, then click on ‘Suchen’ to launch the search. You can now access the FIP 50% card fares. If you wish to travel with a coupon, you do not need to make a reservation.

FIP discounted tickets cannot be purchased on-board DB AG trains. This applies even when boarding a service from a station which has no open ticket office.

Those found on a train without a ticket will receive a penalty fare charge of double the fare (at least €60.00) for the route already covered plus the flex price for the distance to the destination station.

Ticket vending machines offer 50% discounted tickets for other German schemes such as Bahncard. These tickets are not valid with the FIP Card.

In some areas of Germany a Verkehrsverbund (combined fares structure) is in operation. In many of these areas FIP coupons and FIP reduced rate tickets are not valid if your journey is entirely within the area concerned. There is no official list available of which Verkehrsverbund areas accept FIP facilities. Local ticket offices will be able to advise.

No, you don’t have to. You can get on the train straight away. Remember to write the date on your ticket to travel.

You can reserve seats on some trains, but it is advisable to do so when the trains are busy.

Remember to select only the seat booking on DB website or DB Navigator app:Seat reservation labels on DB AG services may display ggf. reserviert. This means that the seat has been set aside in the booking system for last minute reservations. The official advice is not to occupy the seat, but if you do, you will have to vacate it if a ticket holder has a reservation.

For public fares: children up to 6 years old travel free. Children up to 14 are eligible for a 50% reduction on the adult fare. Persons aged 14 and older pay the adult fare.

Free accompanying children
DB AG have national travel discount rules for accompanying children (aged 6 to 13) to travel free with a FIP holder provided that the FIP holder is aged 15 or over and has a valid ticket or FIP permit to travel.

Accompanied children taken free of charge do not have to be the children of the accompanying adult. This means that children travelling for free with an accompanied adult do not need to carry any kind of documentation.

On Long-Distance DB trains:
Maximum 4 children per FIP traveller’s ticket:

• FIP Discounted long-distance travel ticket with the FIP card
• FIP coupon
• FIP International Senior Manager free pass

These rules also apply if the long-distance ticket is used on local transport before or after the journey.

On Local DB trains:
Maximum 3 children per FIP traveller’s ticket:

• FIP Discounted local travel ticket with the FIP card
• FIP coupon
• FIP International Senior Manager free pass

The following applies to the travel tickets mentioned above:

• The accompanying children who are travelling free of charge do not
  have to be recorded on the ticket.
• Children who are not accompanied by persons over the age of 15
  who are entitled to a travel concession must buy their own ticket.
• Children under the age of 6 continue to travel free of charge and do not need their own ticket. before or after the journey.

Yes, some services are subject to staff restriction, only if you use a FIP coupon. Restrictions do not apply when using the fip card alone. DB AG publish a list here.

Where a train is listed on specific days then the ban on using FIP facilities applies on the days listed including public holidays.

Use of a restricted train is a Travel Irregularity, and the passenger is deemed to be holding no ticket for the recovery of fare revenue and application of penalty.

Yes:

• For journeys entirely within Germany, FIP facilities may be used without seat reservation.
• For cross border journeys, a global price ticket and seat reservation endorsed ‘FIP Leisure’ is required. The International Senior Manager Free Pass is valid, but FIP coupons are not valid. Children aged 6 – 14 must also have a ticket with inclusive seat reservation.
  No child reduction on the FIP discounted fare is available.
• Cycles are not carried
• Luggage must be labelled with a luggage tag bearing the traveller’s name. Tags are required for all luggage placed in the luggage compartments located at the end of each carriage, above and between the seats. This rule does not apply to hand luggage which is kept on the the traveller’s person, such as handbags.

• Holders of 2nd class FIP facilities may use Economy Class.
• Holders of 1st class FIP facilities may use 1st class or Economy Class
• Under no circumstances can Business Class be used by holders of any FIP facilities, even if the Business Class supplement is paid.

If using FIP free coupons on DB-ÖBB Eurocity services operated jointly by DB, ÖBB and FS via the trans-Alpine Brenner Railway:

• a DB, ÖBB or FS coupon is required for travel in the country concerned.
• for journeys which cross the Italian border, or entirely within Italy the supplement is payable even if the coupon is endorsed No Supplement Necessary or the holder has an International Senior Manager Free Pass.
• for journeys between Austria and Germany, or entirely within Austria or Germany, no supplement is payable.
• holders of a 1st class coupon not endorsed by a stamp stating No Supplement Necessary and travelling 1st class within Austria must purchase a seat reservation ticket or travel authority ticket.

FIP discounted tickets are valid without restriction on the Harlesiel to Wengerooge ferry services.

FIP coupons and FIP discounted tickets are only valid on Scandlines ships in connection with a rail journey.

FIP facilities are accepted only where the bus provides a rail replacement service arising from operational occurrences.