If you are travelling for an Advent visit or Christmas celebrations, bear in mind that the DB family ticket is not automatically cheaper just because several people are travelling together. What matters is what the adults would pay for the same service, whether you want to book seats for everyone and whether the journey includes a local train connection.
The ticket has been available for journeys within Germany since 1 November 2026. Deutsche Bahn charges 99.99 euros for a return journey on long-distance trains, including reservations for up to five people. According to DB, the price rises to 143.99 euros if a local train connection is included before or after the long-distance leg. The offer covers one or two people aged 15 or over and up to four children.
Count the passengers first
To make a comparison, you need to know exactly who is in the group. DB requires at least one person aged 15 or over and at least one child to travel on the family ticket. They do not need to be related. Children aged between 6 and 14 must be included when booking. You should also enter children under six if you want to reserve seats for them.
The key point for comparison: on DB long-distance services within Germany, children aged 14 and under generally travel free when accompanied by someone aged 15 or over. This means they do not automatically need their own child ticket when you book regular fares. However, a separate reservation is needed to guarantee a seat. According to DB, a second-class reservation costs 5.50 euros per person per journey.
The price threshold for comparison
Compare the same service and the same class in the booking system. On one side is the family ticket; on the other are the tickets for the paying adults and the reservations you actually want for children and adults. Compare the final price for the return journey, not just the ticket price displayed.
A simple example without making up fares for a particular service: for two adults and two children with no local train connection, the family ticket costs 99.99 euros. With a regular booking, the children travel free on DB long-distance services; you then add the adults’ tickets and, if required, reservations for everyone. If this total exceeds 99.99 euros, the family ticket works out cheaper. If it is lower, the individual tickets are cheaper. This can happen with particularly low saver fares.
For the same group with a local train connection, the comparison threshold is 143.99 euros. Check whether the selected service actually includes a local train and whether this leg is included in the journey planner. According to DB, the family ticket is valid on routes that include local trains, provided the main leg is covered by long-distance services.
Factor in seat reservations
The family ticket includes reservations for a maximum of five people. With regular tickets, DB says a second-class reservation costs 5.50 euros per person per one-way journey; for a return journey, this adds up to as much as 44 euros for four people if all seats are reserved individually for both journeys. The actual booking options and available seats depend on the service.
If you can manage without reservations, compare that option too. If you are travelling with young children and want to sit together, include reserved seats in both options instead. On a journey combining long-distance and local trains, there is no through seat reservation for the entire route.
Check the deadline and cancellation terms
According to DB, the family ticket is available until two days before travel begins. If your plans change, it can be cancelled up to one day before the first day of validity for a fee of ten euros; the refund is issued as a voucher. Compare this condition with the fare rules for regular tickets, which may vary depending on the ticket booked.
At a glance
The family ticket pays off when regular adult tickets plus the seat reservations you want cost more than the flat rate. For the return journey, this is 99.99 euros without local trains and 143.99 euros with a local train connection. Children aged 14 and under generally travel free on DB long-distance services with an accompanying passenger; their reservations cost extra with regular tickets. Check prices and conditions in the journey planner before booking.
Original reviewed by the editors · 11 November 2026
