Digital track is, but some Service is still running analog. Start-ups know how to use it and make a private offer.

train delay? Start-ups take care of the fare refund, and photo: Arnulf Hettrich/imago images

BERLIN dpa | A handful of Start-ups is currently benefiting from a Service-gap in the case of the Deutsche Bahn. The young company will allow the customer to request via the App, the refund of your ticket price to the group, if your train was delayed. On the official way which is so far exclusively an analog form. The paper method is considered to be cumbersome. The state group is working to change that.

Generally, customers can get from the German railway 25 percent of their ticket price back, if they arrived with at least one hour late at your destination. From two-hour delay, it returns the half of the ticket price. The passengers need to enter your connection data in the form and this to a the Service Desk or by Post to Deutsche Bahn send.

"Many customers have, but not in the mood, and then the further issues of the railway Post it back also," says Stefan Nitz, founder of the Start-ups refund rebel, slimming this work to the customer. You have to communicate your delay data by mobile phone. Everything Further the company take on. "We also take care of the complicated cases," says Nitz, such as in the case of taxi rides or nights hotel accommodation in cases where passengers because of a delay at night on railway stations, beaches.

For this Service reserves the right to refund rebel 16.5 percent of the refunded ticket price. In comparison with other providers that is quite expensive. About a half-dozen Start-ups are currently on the market. Also in the case of RE.X can be filled in the passengers ' rights form to the digital. "With our App you can fill out the application in the railway, and we provide these for you," touts the Start-up on its website.

1.09 euros to the service at RE to.X cost of first package. After an introduction phase, the regular price for an amount then 1,99 Euro. On the page Zug-Erstattung.de in turn, the first application of the year is free of charge. Any more will cost 99 cents.

The passenger Association Pro Bahn is of the new Offerings, not entirely convinced. "It is a "nice to have"," said the honorary Chairman of Pro Bahn, Karl-Peter Naumann. "But the very great relief it is." Also, the Start-ups need many information from the customers, in order to apply for the refund. "In time, I'm not as real Differences."

For the Deutsche Bahn itself, it makes reported no difference whether the application for refund is submitted directly by the passengers or a third party. It will always be carefully examined, said a spokeswoman on request. Because the group is currently reviewing the digital booking system completely, it'll still take until 2021 until this is also where the refunds digital could expire.

A danger for the own business refund rebel founder Nitz not. "We do not believe that it makes unnecessary the water," he says. "You can digitally implement also some bad. As we continue to be a good Alternative.“ Ten employees took care of the requests. Profitable business are not over yet. "We are still in the growth phase." The platform can also be used in other railway companies, as well as Flixtrain refunds requested, although this offer, in part digital options.