Deutsche Bahn (DB) is introducing a new service designed to make solo train travel easier and safer for kids.
From August 21st, children aged between six and 14 will be able to travel unaccompanied on selected long-distance routes under the supervision of trained staff as part of the new DB Junior Express programme.
The service, available initially on six ICE connections between Berlin and Munich, Munich and Cologne, and Frankfurt and Hamburg, is aimed at families who have children that need to travel independently, whether to visit relatives, spend time with separated parents or attend holiday activities.
While children in this age group are already allowed to travel alone on German trains, DB says its new escort service is intended to provide an additional layer of security and flexibility.
To begin, DB Junior Express will operate on Fridays and Sundays, with bookings opening on August 12th. Deutsche Bahn says additional routes are planned in future.
How it works
Parents or guardians can book the service through the DB website or the DB Navigator app up to 24 hours before departure. The fee is €69 one way, plus the cost of a child's train ticket.
Unaccompanied children between six and 14 receive a 50 percent discount on standard and saver fares.
It's also worth noting that children in this age group travel for free in Germany when accompanied by an adult aged 15 or older (provided they are listed directly on the adult’s ticket at the time of purchase). Children under age 6 always travel for free and without a ticket on DB trains.
On the day of travel, families meet the escort team at a designated location inside the departure station. Groups are limited to 14 children accompanied by two trained supervisors, and a reserved section of the train is set aside for them.
During the journey, staff organise age-appropriate activities such as reading, crafts and board games. At the destination, children are personally handed over to the pre-designated collection person at a central meeting point.
The return of a popular family service
The launch marks the return of a concept some families may remember. Between 2003 and 2021, DB and the Bahnhofsmission railway station charities operated the Kids on Tour programme, which accompanied nearly 100,000 children travelling alone.
That service was discontinued in 2021 following financial challenges and disruption during the Covid-19 pandemic.
