Travel center

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Travel center in Trier main station (2007)
Travel center at Munich Central Station (2008)

As a travel center (formerly called ReiseZentrum ), DB Vertrieb GmbH operates ticket offices in train stations.

history

As early as the summer of 1979, the Deutsche Bundesbahn began setting up new open counters under the name of sales center . The new facilities served the MOFA (modernized ticket sales) , which was based on electronic data processing for the first time . Previous counter systems with preprinted or hand-filled tickets have gradually become superfluous. The Federal Railroad soon established the term travel center for these sales rooms . At the end of the 1980s there were various counters for timetable and tariff information and for ticket sales. This should be standardized through the introduction of the new course 90 sales system. In the early 1990s, for example, there were three separate groups of counters in Berlin Zoo for tickets, reservation cards and information. On January 1, 1992, a new "design concept" for travel centers came into force. By the end of 1992, the separate information desks were to be omitted, as were the separate tourism, group travel and international counters. From now on there should only be four types of counters: First-class counters, quick counters, DB Lufthansa Airport service counters and universal counters. The officers serving at the previous special counters should be retrained. From 1996 a new generation of travel centers was introduced at Deutsche Bahn. The furnishings in the style of modernist bank branches from the 1970s, which had previously been kept in muted, dark red and brown tones, were replaced by bright interior furnishings that were tailored to changed work processes such as direct customer contact. Individually illuminated workplaces with organically shaped artificial stone counters were used. Information displays backlit in bluish tones indicated modernity. In addition, wooden wall panels were used to create a homely working atmosphere. The concept of the travel centers was designed by Studio & Partners, a joint Milan-based design office of the architect and designer Michele De Lucchi , as well as Nick Bewick and Torsten Fritze.

In 1993 it was planned to set up 300 travel centers. In cooperation with travel agencies, not only tickets but also tourist offers should be sold there. In 1996, a cooperation was concluded with a car rental company, whose counters were integrated into some travel centers. By 1999 insurance was being sold in 76 travel centers.

In October 1999, Deutsche Bahn announced that it would close around a quarter of its 950 travel centers and its own counters. 250 travel centers in small train stations with low demand should be put to the test. Travel agencies, vending machines and internet sales should take their place. The decision should be made within three months. According to Deutsche Bahn, the sales outlets available for sale contributed only around two percent to the sales of the travel centers. According to the company, only counters were affected that sold a maximum of ten tickets a day. For Expo 2000 eight million tickets were to be sold only in 230 travel centers.

At the beginning of 2001, Deutsche Bahn announced that it would close around 300 of its 1000 ticket issuers by the end of 2003. All sales outlets outside of metropolitan areas with an annual turnover of less than 1.4 million DM were affected. Travel agencies and other sales outlets were to take their place. In 2004, Deutsche Bahn was looking for operators for travel centers that were no longer profitable from their point of view in order to maintain operations. By the end of December 2003, there were already 35 sales outlets run by independent companies in train stations across Germany.

According to the Transnet union , DB planned to cut 900 jobs in travel centers at the beginning of 2004. At the end of 2004, Deutsche Bahn announced that it would only operate 500 travel centers and ticket offices in the future.

In 2000, the travel centers generated 58 percent of Deutsche Bahn ticket sales. In 2005 it was 37 percent, in 2010 23 percent. The share is expected to decrease to 19 percent (2013) and 12 percent (2020). The share of travel centers in Deutsche Bahn ticket sales in 2014 was 18 percent. In 2015 it was 17.9 percent. At the end of 2016 there were around 400 travel centers.

DB Vertrieb has been testing video travel centers since 2013 and putting the first into operation. In a video travel center, passengers can communicate with a travel advisor using a screen, microphone and loudspeaker .

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany , all but 47 travel centers were closed on March 19, 2020. The remaining travel centers operate with limited opening times. Five of these sales outlets (those in Berlin and Switzerland ) had to close again shortly afterwards due to official instructions.

Sales mobile

The sales vehicle is a sales vehicle from DB Vertrieb GmbH , a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG .

This sales car (mostly a Mercedes Sprinter ) is equipped with ticket sales technology. It has a fully equipped ticket office where all DB travel offers can be sold.

The sales vehicle has a fuel cell on board for an independent power supply.

However, the sales vehicle can also be connected externally to a socket using a cable. Deutsche Bahn AG has several sales vehicles in use.

The vehicles can be used very flexibly.

For example, from February 2017 to May 2017 a sales vehicle was in use in Wolfenbüttel , where the local DB agency was closed at the end of January of the same year.

Trivia

In large train stations with several counters open at the same time (e.g. Hannover Hbf , Nürnberg Hbf and Bremen Hbf ), there is a call system where customers first pull a number. Using this number, they are assigned to a switch on the monitor. The system (so-called American waiting system) is also used in many authorities. In addition, there are employees (receptionist, machine guide, etc.) who are available to answer questions and problems. There are usually separate counters in these travel centers for 1st class customers , Bahn.bonus Comfort customers , transport associations and severely disabled people with preferential service.

The analogous name Travel Center is also used by various railway companies in Great Britain ( National Rail ) for points of sale with several counters in larger train stations.

Web links

Commons : Travel Center  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Travel centers ( Memento of the original from March 9, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. accessed on March 9, 2016 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.db-vertrieb.com
  2. ↑ Rail and mail pull on one data string . In: VDI news . No. 46 , 1988, ISSN  0042-1758 , pp. 27 .
  3. ↑ No counters just for information . In: Nürnberger Nachrichten . 17th August 1992.
  4. ^ Bernhard Berberich: Modern travel centers of the German Federal Railroad . In: The Railway Engineer . tape 42 , no. 9 , 1991, ISSN  0013-2810 , pp. 470-475 .
  5. ↑ Flexibility as a program - farewell to the counter hall . In: form . tape 1/1996 , no. 153 . Frankfurt 1996, p. 42-45 .
  6. ↑ Gaining customers with Reisezentrum . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . April 15, 2013, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 45 .
  7. ^ Heiner Berninger: Bahn relies on tourism . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . November 8, 1993, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 31 .
  8. ↑ Sixt is planning big business . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . August 4, 1997, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 23 .
  9. ↑ DEVK wants to become more international . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . May 29, 1999, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 27 .
  10. ^ Klaus Ott : Expensive customer service . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . March 20, 2003, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 19 .
  11. ↑ Bahn closes a quarter of the counters in train stations . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . October 23, 1999, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 2 .
  12. ↑ Train tickets from the Internet . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . October 26, 1999, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 23 .
  13. ^ Freising station not affected . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . November 2, 1999, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. 1 .
  14. ↑ Over 13 million tickets are contractually secured . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . May 3, 2000, ISSN  0174-4917 , p. V 3/8 .
  15. ↑ News update shortly . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , issue 3/2001, ISSN  1421-2811 , p. 106.
  16. ↑ Message ticket seller wanted . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International , issue 2/2004, ISSN  1421-2811 , p. 52.
  17. ↑ Railway travel centers cut 900 positions . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . February 26, 2004, ISSN  0174-4917 .
  18. ^ Klaus Ott : Bahn pushes and deletes 141 projects . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung . ISSN  0174-4917 .
  19. ↑ Nikolaus Doll: Farewell to the ticket office . In: The world . No. 198 , August 26, 2013, ISSN  0173-8437 , p. 9 (similar version online ).
  20. ^ Deutsche Bahn AG (Ed.): More and more rail customers are booking mobile phone tickets . Press release from June 8, 2015.
  21. ↑ Thomas Wüpper: Bahn cuts basic remuneration for travel agencies . In: Stuttgarter Zeitung . No. 281 , December 3, 2016, p. 15 ( online ).
  22. ↑ Personal ticket sales via screen and microphone. DB Vertrieb GmbH, archived from the original on December 9, 2015 ; Retrieved December 9, 2015 .
  23. ↑ Deutsche Bahn maintains 47 travel center locations to ensure basic services. In: bahn.de. DB Sales, March 19, 2020, accessed on March 22, 2020 .