If you set off for Christmas on 12 December and return after 13 December, you will be travelling under two different timetables. The new DB long-distance timetable takes effect on Sunday, 13 December 2026; according to Deutsche Bahn, tickets have been available since 14 October. It is therefore essential to check your outward and return journeys using their respective travel dates.
1. Search separately for each travel date
Enter the exact date of your outward journey in the journey planner, then check the return journey using its own date. A connection that works on your outward travel date tells you little about the return journey after the change: departure times, stops and connections may change. If you return on a journey spanning midnight or on a different day, it is the actual travel date that counts.
Compare the available connections before and after 13 December. Make sure that your preferred connection actually appears for both dates. If the journey planner says the date falls outside the timetable period, the timetable for that date has not yet been loaded. DB describes the annual timetable change as taking place in mid-December; it gives 13 December as the start date for the new 2026/27 timetable.
2. Check departures, changes and operating days
Open the details for your preferred connection. Check the departure and arrival times, all intermediate stops and the stations where you change trains. If a connection is tight, you can set a longer preferred transfer time in the journey planner.
Check the operating days too: additional or individual trains may not run daily. A calendar in the DB journey planner shows which days a train runs. Check this separately for your outward and return journeys – especially for weekends and public holidays. Notes or symbols in the list of connections may flag special arrangements; open the detailed information rather than simply comparing overall journey times.
3. Cross-check your booking and saved connection
Compare the connection you have found with your booking details. An earlier search or a saved itinerary is no substitute for an up-to-date check for your actual travel date. If your ticket is valid only on a specific train, it is particularly important to note any changes to the train you have booked; the conditions that apply to your ticket are included in your booking.
The DB journey planner can display alternatives and current notices. An alternative connection in your itinerary does not automatically update your ticket; check whether your ticket is valid for it. If you receive a notice about changed departure or arrival times, a different station or a cancellation, search for the connection again using your travel date.
4. Check again shortly before travelling
Timetables can change after booking, for example because of engineering works or disruption. According to DB, passengers can enable notifications for booked or saved journeys; the operator says notices of timetable changes are sent from 14 days before travel. Even so, check your connection again shortly before departure in the journey planner or DB Navigator. This applies to both directions – even if your outward journey has already gone smoothly.
At a glance
- Enter the respective travel dates separately for your outward and return journeys.
- Check departures, changes, operating days and notes in the details.
- Cross-check your booking details against the current connection.
- Check again before each journey; notifications supplement your own checks.
Original reviewed by the editors · 11 November 2026
