Deutsche Bahn has to sell savings prices to customers without email!

Deutsche Bahn has to sell savings prices to customers without email!

In a groundbreaking ruling, the Frankfurt am Main Higher Regional Court has decided that Deutsche Bahn can no longer require an email address or mobile phone number to be provided when selling saver fare tickets. This landmark ruling from July 10, 2025, Ref. 6 UKI 14/24, could have far-reaching consequences for the way consumers buy tickets. This requirement applies to both online and over-the-counter purchases and is a clear sign of consumer protection.

Until this regulation was introduced, passengers had to provide their email address or mobile phone number when buying tickets at the counter or at machines in order to be able to benefit from the well-known saver and super saver tickets. However, the court clarified that the collection of such personal data is not necessary for the performance of the contract. “The main thing is the transportation, not the generation of a digital ticket,” is one of the central statements of the ruling. The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) celebrated the ruling as a great success in terms of consumer protection, as it calls into question the necessary consent for data processing.

New options for ticket buyers

As a result of the decision, tickets can now also be purchased at the counter without previously providing personal information. Online buyers still have to provide an email address to receive the digital ticket, but the distinction means fewer hurdles when purchasing tickets. The court concluded that the processing of personal data primarily serves internal company purposes such as customer loyalty and advertising, which are not necessary for the booking process. The “dominant market position” of Deutsche Bahn also played a role here.

As part of the ruling, the judges found that the regulation on the mandatory provision of personal data is questionable not only in the light of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), but also because the consent of consumers in these cases was not really voluntary. These provisions underline that the processing of personal data must be carried out judiciously and that consumers' rights must be strengthened.

An overview of the data protection principles

The GDPR stipulates, among other things, that data may only be processed for specified purposes and that only the most necessary personal data may be collected. In addition, new principles such as “Privacy by Design” and “Privacy by Default” must be taken into account, which mean that data protection must be integrated into technologies from the outset and default settings should be designed to be privacy-friendly. Consumers have the right to be informed about their data at any time and to request its correction or deletion.

The OLG's decision cannot be appealed, and Deutsche Bahn must now adapt its ticket sales methods. The ruling sends a clear signal to other companies that are also heavily dependent on the processing of personal data. Consumer advocates and privacy advocates may now push for similar changes in other sectors to further strengthen data protection and protect consumers' rights.

What further developments will look like in this case remains to be seen. The fact is, however, that protecting privacy is becoming increasingly important for consumers - and the Deutsche Bahn ruling shows that these rights are worth fighting for.

For more detailed information we used the following sources: LTO, The time and BMJV.