BahnCard - Tourist Trap That You Should Avoid

Just like me, hundreds or maybe thousands of tourists are being victimized by DB Bahn by selling them 1 year savings cards which they called BahnCard without telling them that it is a legally-binding lifetime subscriptions. Once you got the card and signed the agreement, you are now a BahnCard holder, which should be beneficial for tourists since they are entitled for discounted fare. But don’t be fooled – this is an elaborate trap and you will be obligated to pay them even if you had just used the card once. 

Why? BahnCard is an auto-renewal scam set by this shady company.

Many of us have fallen to this scam and it is our duty to inform other people that they should NOT buy or be lured into getting a BahnCard. When you’re at a German railway station buying a ticket, you will encounter several “helpful” assistant that will suggest that you get a BahnCard.

If you ask them, ‘What is a BahnCard?’

They will tell you that it is a 1-year travel card that will provide you a good opportunity to save some money on your journey. The assistant will then show you the cost, and this will give you an impression that it is indeed a good deal… But because you’re in railway station and you’re train is already coming, they will tell you to fill a little booklet with your personal info – name, address, email, etc. and oblige you to sign an agreement. After you sign the contract they will then give you a temporary card and promise you that a proper card will be mailed to you in the future.

What you didn't know is that you bought a 1-year card, and you just signed a contract (the booklet) legally binding you with DB Bahn. So, they will now be entitled to send debt collectors after you for the next card installment, which you will need to pay 100 EUR unless you sent them a cancellation letter 6 weeks in advance.

But there were instances when a subscriber had already sent them several cancellation letters, but they are too slow to cancel their subscription. This creates a dilemma and the subscriber will still be billed with the renewal of their card. Once you confront them with your concern, they will tell you that you signed a binding contract and force you to pay for the renewal.

The next thing you know, you get a letter from a collection agency telling you to pay for next year’s German rail usage – and mind you - it will come with an interest! They will also tell you that they have the right to pursue legal proceedings if you decide to NOT pay them. This is clearly – a mobster modus operandi!

If you’ve been a victim of DB Bahn and their BahnCard scheme, then you need to fight back! But just think how many people have fallen to this scam and would just rather pay the renewal fee to avoid the stress and hassles…. 100 EUR per had – they are surely raking in a lot of money. This con should be stopped and we should NOT TOLERATE this kind of business practices.