DB announces new discount scheme for ICE and IC tickets

Deutsche Bahn has announced that passengers booking long-distance trains at very short notice will soon be able to purchase tickets for as little as 6,99 euros.

Deutsche Bahn announces discount scheme

Until now, the rule has generally been that the earlier you book your long-distance Deutsche Bahn train ticket, the cheaper it will be. From May 9, this won’t necessarily be the case.

Deutsche Bahn has announced a new last-minute offer scheme for long-distance train tickets. Going forward, every Saturday and Sunday, the rail company will heavily reduce the price of long-distance train tickets for services running the following week.

Executive Board Member for Long-Distance Travel, Michael Peterson, told AFP that passengers booking at short notice will be able to purchase long-distance tickets for as little as 6,99 euros. Details are yet to be confirmed, but BahnCard holders may be eligible for a further discount.

DB will trial discount for six months

With the discount scheme, Deutsche Bahn hopes to fill empty seats on services that are already scheduled to run. This means tickets for off-peak services will be the most heavily discounted. Deutsche Bahn will decide whether to prolong the discount scheme following a six-month trial period. 

In late April, Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla also announced that the national rail company would freeze the price of long-distance train tickets between May 1, 2026 and May 2027.

During this period, long-distance ticket prices won’t increase across the board. However, since Deutsche Bahn uses dynamic pricing for long-distance train tickets, prices will still vary depending on peak seasons and travel times.

Palla, who took on the CEO role in October 2025, said in a press release that Deutsche Bahn’s top priority is to “keep running, keep running, keep running” and make sure that transport remains affordable in Germany. “The railways are a source of stability in uncertain times,” she added.