Do you need to carry a passport on the Deutsche Bahn when travelling inside germany?

[Hasani 3]

For travel by train inside Germany, do you need to carry a passport or is a residence permit enough? Or do you need neither?

[murphaph 8,890]

https://www.bahn.de/faq/view/pk/de/buchung/olt_ausweis_id.shtml

 

You need a passport if you're from outside the EEA (inside an ID card is enough) but they accept whatever the Germans issue to asylum seekers so they might be happy enough with the Aufenthaltskarte too. You definitely need something if it's an online ticket you are travelling on.

[Janx Spirit 10,512]

My e-residency permit has 'Passersatz' (passport substitute) printed on it, so yes, this also works. 

[Narjiz 158]

46 minutes ago, Janx Spirit said:

My e-residency permit has 'Passersatz' (passport substitute) printed on it, so yes, this also works. 

I am actually wondering how they decide to add that? My residency permit is for 3 years and says my passport number. Most people I know in the next Gemeinde over (less busy one) have passersatz on theirs. Just curious honestly. 

[BethAnnBitt 2,625]

24 minutes ago, Narjiz said:

I am actually wondering how they decide to add that? My residency permit is for 3 years and says my passport number. Most people I know in the next Gemeinde over (less busy one) have passersatz on theirs. Just curious honestly. 

I just checked and my 3 year permit has Pass (Ersatz) and shows my US passport # and the expiration date. 

 

[Janx Spirit 10,512]

I have Daueraufenthaltsrecht (right of permanent residence) on mine. I get the feeling that the Gemeinden themselves are a bit clueless  

 

Edit:

If your residency permit has a photo of you and your passport number you are good to go. It falls under amtlichen Lichtbildausweisen (official photo identification).

[yesterday 1,727]

2 hours ago, murphaph said:

https://www.bahn.de/faq/view/pk/de/buchung/olt_ausweis_id.shtml

 

You need a passport if you're from outside the EEA (inside an ID card is enough) but they accept whatever the Germans issue to asylum seekers so they might be happy enough with the Aufenthaltskarte too. You definitely need something if it's an online ticket you are travelling on.

 

I think officially you are correct, and you can get done if you are not carrying  your passport.

 

But I have gotten away with on a few occations, carry other forms of ID, like driving licence, copy of passport. But its up to the official who checks you if he/she will accept ot or not 

[Dembo 408]

This is only about "digital" tickets isn't it? No reason to carry a passport otherwise.

 

This was a PITA when I was first here as I wanted to buy the cheaper online Fahrkarte but to do so required carrying ID and as far as I was able to determine that meant passport. And I wasn't going to carry my passport with me all the time. I was hoping the Aufenthaltsdockument (if I ever get one) would be accepted as a substitute.  

 

 

[murphaph 8,890]

I am on the train to Dresden at the moment and the guy didn't ask for any ID at all lol. YMMV.

[LeonG 14,622]

I don't think they've ever asked me for ID on the train and I'm always traveling with online tickets.  They usually ask for the Bahncard though.

 

However, they are allowed to ask for ID, see https://www.bahn.de/faq/view/pk/de/buchung/olt_ausweis_id.shtml

 

Quote

Bei Buchungen von digitalen Tickets müssen Sie keine Identifizierungskarte angeben. Die Tickets werden auf den bei der Buchung angegebenen Reisenden ausgestellt.

Bei der Kontrolle im Zug weisen Sie sich dann durch eines der folgenden Ausweisdokumente aus:

- europäischer oder deutscher Personalausweis
- Personalausweis aus Norwegen oder Schweiz
- deutscher oder internationaler Reisepass
- Kinderreisepass
- von einer deutschen Behörde ausgestellte Dokumente für Flüchtlinge und Asylbewerber, z.B. BÜMA, BÜWA und Aufenthaltsgestattung
- BahnCard (ggf. in Verbindung mit einem Lichtbildausweis)

Es gelten nicht: Führerschein, Schülerausweis, Truppenausweis und Schwerbehindertenausweis.

 

[Chelski 1,322]

Never been asked for a passport on DB so maybe just carry a photocopy.

 

I've always carry photocopies of both my British and Irish passports (not the originals) in my wallet.

 

I've been stopped for speeding and at regular traffic checks through the years, and the Police had no problem with the photocopies, so I doubt DB would.

[kaffeemitmilch 1,222]

When I leave my city for other parts of Germany, I always carry my passport just in case. Within the metropolitan area, however, I do not. Not even my residence permit. Correction: I carry a US passport card with me, but it's technically not official ID within Germany. Still, it works all the time for post and what not, so I'm sure it'd work for the train.

[MisterDell 15]

Throughout the years I have travelled a lot with DB. Both regional and long-distance. 

 

According to their Website, which has also been linked to here, they are legally entitled to check the online ticket against an ID. In Germany a driver's license doesn't count as ID, although it would/could in other countries. I learned it the hard way, but fortunately still not in a Train. 

 

I haven't once been asked to present an ID. In the beginning, as an expat, I always showed the ID along the ticket, until various Ticket inspectors told me it wasn't needed 😉

 

On a side note, they will insist to see some form of ID from "Schwarzfahrer" so they can send a fine. I once was on a train in Hessen and on that particular day, there were numerous "Schwarzfahrer" without train tickets. And funnily enough they also had no ID. Every second stop police came and escorted people out/took their details. The inspector had obviously called the police. Although it was a regional train, I got 45 minutes delayed to work🤦‍♂️

 

 

[Feierabend 1,084]

The only time I was ever asked for ID was when I needed to pay by bank card on the train. (My station has no ticket machine.)

[Dembo 408]

15 hours ago, MisterDell said:

On a side note, they will insist to see some form of ID from "Schwarzfahrer" so they can send a fine. I once was on a train in Hessen and on that particular day, there were numerous "Schwarzfahrer" without train tickets. And funnily enough they also had no ID. Every second stop police came and escorted people out/took their details. The inspector had obviously called the police. Although it was a regional train, I got 45 minutes delayed to work🤦‍♂️

 

I heard they do that if you can't pay the fine immediately. And if you don't have ID they call the police. But how does that work if your ID is your passport that doesn't show your address?

 

[LeonG 14,622]

11 minutes ago, Dembo said:

 

I heard they do that if you can't pay the fine immediately. And if you don't have ID they call the police. But how does that work if your ID is your passport that doesn't show your address?

 

 

If you don't have an ausweis with your address on it, you are supposed to carry your anmeldung with  your passport.

[Dembo 408]

6 minutes ago, LeonG said:

If you don't have an ausweis with your address on it, you are supposed to carry your anmeldung with  your passport.

This is like the old swallow a spider to catch the fly rhyme.

[LukeSkywalker 7,353]

16 hours ago, MisterDell said:

On a side note, they will insist to see some form of ID from "Schwarzfahrer" so they can send a fine.

The term “Schwarzfahren” is considered racist and non-PC, so the new wording is “Fahren ohne gültiges Ticket”. 🤓

[Fietsrad 279]

I thought one should always have an ID in Germany, not only when travelling by train.

 

Not sure if I have ever been asked to show it.

[snowingagain 4,596]

40 minutes ago, LukeSkywalker said:

The term “Schwarzfahren” is considered racist and non-PC, so the new wording is “Fahren ohne gültiges Ticket”. 🤓

Well not be everyone and not everywhere.  Out of context short film (12 mins) for anyone not seen this.