Deutsche Bahn rolls out limited seat reservations on regional trains

Deutsche Bahn is introducing seat reservations on regional trains, but the service is currently limited. Passengers in certain areas can now book seats for single trips or seasonal commutes. The system, however, does not cover all routes or fares yet.

For now, single-journey reservations are available only in Lower Saxony/Bremen, Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland, and Schleswig-Holstein. Travellers can secure a seat for €1 per trip at DB ticket machines, but the booking applies to one specific connection only. The reserved spot is marked within a designated section—not the entire train.

Seasonal reservations for regular commuters are also on offer. These cost €40 per year in most regions, though some areas provide them for free. They apply from Monday to Friday, excluding national holidays, and are tied to a fixed outbound or return trip.

The new system does not solve overcrowding on busy summer routes, such as Berlin to the Baltic Sea. Reserved seats are limited to certain car sections and do not increase train capacity. Deutsche Bahn has not announced plans to expand reservations to more regions or routes over the next 12 months.

The reservation system offers a way to guarantee a seat on select regional services. Yet its reach is narrow, with no immediate plans for wider availability. Passengers on crowded routes or with certain fare types may still face uncertainty about seating.