FAQ

No, the ticket can be obtained at no extra cost from one of our customer service representatives. Please speak to a customer service representative immediately after boarding to purchase a ticket.

The ticket can be paid in cash or cashless using a debit or credit card. However, there is no entitlement to cashless payment.

You can buy tickets from our service points along the route or directly online.

Our train attendants can sell you tickets for most destinations on the German regional (local) network. Tickets for long-distance services (e.g. ICE, EC, IC) can only be purchased from our  service points along the route or directly online.

Due to the classification of the alex as a long-distance train in the Czech Republic, it is possible for passengers to reserve seats on the cross-border alex trains to/from Prague. Seats can only be reserved within the Czech Republic and/or cross-border in the direction to Germany.

• Passengers must make reservations in Domažlice at the latest; if the reserved seats are not taken by Domažlice, the claim expires.
• Unfortunately, it is not possible to reserve seats within Germany only. Reservations from Furth i. Wald to Munich will therefor not be considered.

If an alex connection is cancelled, we regret the inconvenience. In this case, the ticket is not tied to a specific train connection and can be used for the next available regional train on the same route without additional confirmation from the customer service center.

Please note, however, that this regulation does not apply to seat reservations with our partner České dráhy in the Czech Republic. Such reservations cannot be automatically transferred to other connections.

With the many possible connections, priorities must be set. The timetable for the entire region of Bavaria is developed by the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG), and it is not always possible to meet all passenger needs. If a planned connection is at risk, passengers can inform the onboard staff. The connection will then be noted, but a guarantee cannot be provided.

In our real-time information system or at bahn.de.

If a delay of at least 20 minutes at the destination is expected, the following options are available:

• Continue the journey at the next opportunity on the same route or via an alternative route.
• Continue the journey at a later time if this shortens the arrival time.
• Use another regional train that does not require a reservation.

If a delay of at least 60 minutes is expected due to delay, train cancellation, or missed connection (excluding force majeure), the following options are available:

• Cancel the journey and receive a full refund.
• For partial use of the route, receive a refund for the unused portion.

Our online form can be used to assert these rights.

The new European regulation on rail passengers’ rights and obligations has been in force since 7 June 2023. This means that passengers have the same rights in Germany and throughout Europe. They guarantee passengers the same rights on all railways and apply to all trains, regardless of which railway they are operated by.

These passenger rights only apply to rail transport. This includes all types of trains, from the S-Bahn to the ICE. There is no compensation for delays caused by using the underground, trams, buses or taxis. You will need to contact the relevant transport company for this purpose. Further regulations may apply for journeys in transport associations and within the area of validity of national tariffs.

These passenger rights are conclusive claims due to train delays or cancellations. For example, arriving on time for an appointment is not part of the contract of carriage. The railway operators involved in the carriage are jointly liable for passengers’ claims for compensation, restitution and reimbursement of expenses if a single contract of carriage was concluded for the transport service.

A complete overview of passenger rights is available at fahrgastrechte.info.
Our online form can be used to assert claims.

Our newsletter provides timely information about timetable changes via email. It can be unsubscribed at any time if it is no longer needed.

Every passenger is required to have a valid ticket. If someone is found without a valid ticket, a higher transport fee applies.

However, it may happen that someone unintentionally becomes a "fare dodger." In such cases, the amount can be reduced if it can be demonstrated that the passenger was not at fault. The necessary documents can be submitted via our online form.

Costs for purchased single tickets cannot be refunded afterwards.

For better planning, groups of 21 or more people are asked to register at least 7 working days before the journey via our online form. Groups of 6 or more people can also purchase a group ticket with a discount of up to 50% off the regular price. This ticket can only be purchased in advance at one of our sales offices.

Note: The discount applies exclusively to group tickets under the Deutschlandtarif within Germany, but not to the Prague Special Ticket or travel to the Czech Republic.

We would like to provide all passengers with unrestricted seating and barrier-free boarding. However, due to the train’s construction and the lack of low-floor entry, it is unfortunately not possible for us to accommodate everyone without limitations.

Electric wheelchairs cannot be transported on the alex. Wheelchairs weighing more than 250 kg or wider than 63 cm also cannot be accommodated.

Every alex train has at least one combined 1st/2nd class car equipped with a mechanical folding ramp. This car is easily identifiable by the wheelchair symbol at the corresponding door.

Directly at the entrance, in the second-class area, there is a spacious compartment with three clearly marked seats for passengers with severe disabilities, two wheelchair spaces, and an accessible toilet. Our service staff ensure that these places are available when needed and are not used otherwise.

Since our staff have many operational tasks, they may need to be actively approached and asked for assistance. The transportation of wheelchairs under 250 kg must always be registered in advance with the Mobility Service Center so that additional staff are available on the platform – our service staff cannot manage this alone. In most cases, the Mobility Service Center will immediately suggest alternative travel options with other accessible transport providers.

Our toilets are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected daily as part of an interior cleaning service. In addition, cleaning staff are on board on certain routes on weekdays to ensure cleanliness during the journey. However, the high usage and sometimes older equipment occasionally lead to greater wear and tear and technical problems, which is why toilets are sometimes locked at short notice.

If maintenance or cleaning work is necessary, we work to make the affected areas accessible again as quickly as possible in order to always offer our passengers clean and functioning sanitary facilities.

In the compartment carriages, passengers can manually adjust the volume of the announcements. If the sound has been set to the lowest volume or muted by a previous passenger, the announcements may not be audible. Please check the volume control in your compartment.

Coordination when multiple operators are involved:
If several railway companies are affected on the same route, either the operations control centers of DB InfraGO AG or the local dispatcher for certain sections coordinate which train is given priority. The decisions made by the operations control centers are based on the needs of all customers (i.e., the different railway undertakings) while taking into account the timetable requirements and the economic objectives of DB InfraGO AG.

Decision-making when only one operator is affected:
If only trains of a single company are affected on a route, the company’s own control center decides which train is given priority.

Train delays can be caused by a wide range of factors, many of which are difficult to predict. These include both infrastructural and operational conditions that may influence a train’s timetable.

Build-up and reduction of delays: Every train schedule includes time buffers designed to absorb minor delays along the route. These buffer times allow a train to regain punctuality at later points in the journey. However, there are limits to how much delay can be recovered, and new disruptions may occur that further affect the timetable.
A train is not permitted to depart before its scheduled departure time, ensuring that passengers relying on the timetable can make their connections. Arrival times, however, may vary depending on how much of the buffer time can be used or whether new obstacles cause additional delays.

Example of how delays develop: A practical example shows how delays may evolve: A train departs in the Czech Republic with a 10‑minute buffer. During the journey, a train crossing in Česká Kubice results in additional delay. On the following section toward Schwandorf, the train is able to make up part of the delay thanks to sufficient buffer in the schedule. However, a locomotive change in Schwandorf — due to unscheduled shunting procedures — adds another 5 minutes. By the time the train reaches Regensburg, part of this delay has again been reduced.

Unpredictable influences: Delays may also occur when trains must operate behind slower services that stop at multiple stations. This creates a chain reaction in which subsequent trains are delayed as well.
A particular challenge is the unpredictability of certain disruptions. Not every delay can be precisely forecast by the operations control center. For example, a signal failure may occur unexpectedly and cause an immediate 15‑minute delay. Such disruptions cannot always be predicted to the minute, and the control center relies on information from onboard staff. Even when forecasts are made, they may not always match the actual progression of delays, leading to fluctuations between estimated and actual delay minutes.

Additional causes: Construction works and single‑track sections are further typical causes of delays. Construction sites often lead to operational restrictions, while single‑track segments mean that trains can only run in one direction at a time, slowing traffic and causing delays.

Interrelation of delays: The interaction between these various factors and the actual development of delays illustrates how complex the railway system is. Many elements interconnect, and delays often result from a chain of events in which minor disruptions can quickly accumulate, while the options for recovering lost time are limited. The unpredictability and multitude of potential influencing factors make precise forecasting challenging and increase the complexity of the work performed by operations control centers.

The Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) specifies the number of vehicles allocated to each route network in its tendering documents. In addition, there are operational limits regarding the number of carriages that may be coupled to a train. As a rule, the alex operates with a maximum of seven carriages. Due to higher passenger volumes between Munich and Regensburg or Schwandorf, additional carriages are used on these sections, ordered by the BEG. The carriages uncoupled in Regensburg, for example, reinforce the next train heading toward Munich. This procedure not only offers operational advantages but also benefits the environment, as no additional locomotive is required, reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. At the same time, it increases comfort on these heavily frequented routes.

Reinforcement carriages are coupled and uncoupled in Regensburg or Schwandorf. This typically takes place from Monday to Friday — in the morning in Regensburg and in the afternoon in Schwandorf — where shunting operations at the front of the train allow carriages to be added or removed.

The destination of each carriage is indicated on the exterior door signage as well as on the electronic displays on the grey carriages. If passengers are unsure, the onboard staff can provide assistance to ensure they are in the correct carriage. Before uncoupling, staff verify that no passengers remain inside the carriage.

After the alex arrives in Regensburg, coupling the reinforcement carriages may take several minutes. During this time, passengers are asked for patience. An even distribution across all carriages helps ensure that sufficient space is available for everyone. Passengers are requested to follow the announcements made by the staff.

A train split in Schwandorf occurs only on the daily service to Prague/Hof departing from Munich at 16:44. One section continues to Prague, the other to Hof. The signs on the entrance doors of the coaches indicate which section one is in.

All other services operate without splitting between Munich and Prague/Hof and back.

The DB Group still owns the infrastructure, i.e. the tracks and stations. The alex provides operational services on this infrastructure using its own vehicles and personnel. Announcements and displays in stations are controlled by Deutsche Bahn. The alex provides all the necessary data for correct announcements at stations along the alex route.