Article: Deutsche Bahn is an official national partner of UEFA EURO 2024™
More capacity for fans during the tournament: 14 special EURO trains a day and 10,000 additional seats on ICE and Intercity trains • Fan tickets, EURO BahnCard and other special offers • Stations welcome hundreds of thousands of EURO visitors
Environmentally friendly travel is also a clear trend during the European Championship. More than 182,000 fan tickets and 60,000 fan BahnCards have been sold to date. Since the start of the tournament, about six million passengers have travelled on Deutsche Bahn (DB) ICE and IC trains. For the duration of the European Championship this summer, DB is providing passengers with the largest and most modern ICE fleet ever. Deutsche Bahn is proud to be playing an active part in EURO 2024 in its home nation and is expecting to transport tens of thousands of additional passengers to the host cities.
Deutsche Bahn's commitment is wide ranging and extends from special fan offers and special EURO trains to a stadium atmosphere in ICE trains and train stations, extensive measures for safe travel and keeping construction work to a minimum to allow for reliable scheduling of arrivals and departures.
FAQs
Overcrowding on trains can sometimes be an issue even outside of the tournament. How will the trains accommodate so many fans?
We are delighted to have sold more than 182,000 fan tickets and over 60,000 fan BahnCards, and an additional 7,000 European fans have opted for the EURO Interrail Pass. Since the start of the tournament, about six million passengers have travelled on Deutsche Bahn (DB) ICE and IC trains. It is clear, therefore, that, this summer, rail is playing an unprecedented role in an international soccer tournament. By way of comparison: on Bundesliga weekends, we regularly transport up to 100,000 soccer fans on local and long-distance trains to the various stadiums in Germany. Or another example: Last year, more than 7 million people visited the Munich Oktoberfest, many by train – with only one destination, Munich. In the case of EURO 2024, on the other hand, there are 10 different host cities throughout Germany. This will bring a more even spread of fans across the more than 24,000 trains that we offer for regional, local and long-distance transport every day.
Can the fans be assured that they will get to the matches on time?
We will absolutely do everything within our power to get our fans to their matches on time. But we would also remind passengers that, just as you would not set off by car 4 hours before kick-off if the anticipated journey time was 4 hours, you would be wise to also schedule in a buffer when traveling by train and take an earlier train. You will also then have more of an opportunity to enjoy the build-up and the atmosphere in the host cities.
What's more, our rail network is very busy, especially during the Euros, when DB's entire fleet will be up and running. The trains run in close succession. Even regional incidents, such as people on the track, can quickly result in a chain of delays. On the subject of punctuality, it is worth noting that only around 2 percent of trains have a deviation from the timetable in excess of 60 minutes. 9.6 minutes is the average delay for a long-distance train.
There is significant construction work currently underway across the DB network. Won't that pose a problem for the Euros?
During the 2024 European Football Championship, Deutsche Bahn is keeping construction work on its nationwide infrastructure and the S-Bahn networks in major cities to a minimum to enable fans and teams to travel to the matches and fan zones by train. Most of the construction projects will either end before the championship starts or commence once it has ended. One example is the general overhaul of the Riedbahn from Frankfurt to Mannheim, which will start the day after the final..
Soccer fans are not always the most pleasant fellow passengers. What is DB doing to safeguard "regular" passengers and staff?
The safety of our passengers and staff is paramount. Together with the national safety authority and local law enforcement, we have developed a robust security concept for the tournament. Across Germany, there will be almost 6,000 police officers and around 4,500 security staff on duty around the clock at stations and on trains to protect rail customers and employees. For the European Championship, DB is increasing its pool of security staff at stations and on trains by around 20 percent (that is approximately 900 extra security staff). Additional passenger guides and volunteers will also be deployed at the stations of the host cities. This is all to make stations and platforms safer and more secure given the large number of fans. During the high-volume group stage, DB will triple the number of DB Security teams on long-distance trains alone, and even quadruple them on busier match days. There will also be 350 international police officers in the field to provide additional support.
Together with the vast majority of fans, we are looking forward to a happy and peaceful championship, but can also be assured that security forces will be out in force to handle any situation that may arise. We have zero tolerance for violence or vandalism.
What has been the customer response to the fan tickets, fan BahnCards and Interrail passes?
We are delighted to have sold more than 182,000 fan tickets and over 60,000 fan BahnCards, and an additional 7,000 European fans have opted for the EURO Interrail Pass. It is clear, therefore, that, this summer, rail is playing an unprecedented role in an international soccer tournament. Every fan who opts to travel to matches by rail is making a real difference for the environment.
The European Championship is taking place over summer. Will the HVAC systems be up to the job?
Our ICE fleet of 410 trains is the most state of the art yet. The HVAC systems in these new trains are extremely powerful can cope with temperatures of up to +45 °C. There will be around 20 percent more ICE and Intercity trains with state-of-the-art air conditioning technology compared to summer 2023. The new HVAC systems are not only more powerful, but also more reliable, with 99 percent availability.
There will be many passengers from other countries who do not speak German. How is DB preparing for this?
Besides having a very international workforce, with employees from 150 nations, many of us also speak a second language. We have also taken on around 300 additional multilingual passenger guides and volunteers who will be deployed at the host cities. These will be posted at specific stations depending on the languages they offer and the countries involved in the individual matches.
The announcements at the stations during the European Championship will also be made not only in German and English, but also in French and Spanish, so that as many European soccer fans as possible can be addressed in their native languages.
More seats, more trains, more connections
A partnership focused on environmentally friendly travel using modern, comfortable trains. Passengers will be served by the largest ICE fleet of all time, which has now grown to 410 vehicles. The entire fleet will be operational throughout the tournament period.
During the tournament, DB will be running 14 special EURO trains every day. It will also operate longer ICE trains during the tournament period and offer trains on additional days of service. This will add up to almost 10,000 additional seats per day.
Stations in soccer fever
DB has also started preparations at the stations in the host cities of Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dortmund, Leipzig, Gelsenkirchen, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf. Special welcome desks have been set up. On site, passenger guides and special signage will help fans find their way around. DB has also joined forces with the host cities to signpost the direct routes from the train stations to the stadiums and public screening venues.
On match days, cleaning crews will be working extra shifts at more than 100 stations, and technical teams will be on hand to swiftly repair escalator and elevator faults. DB is also creating additional locker capacity in and around the stations to make it even easier for fans to stow luggage.
Wrapping the ICE 4 with UEFA EURO 2024™ branding by the Berlin Rummelsburg maintenance team
Special fan offers
To ensure that travel to the matches is not only environmentally friendly, but also affordable, DB has a range of special offers for German and European fans with the DB Ticket EURO 2024, the fan BahnCard and discounted Interrail passes. The aim of these offers is to encourage as many European fans as possible to take the eco-friendly option and travel by rail. Because every fan who travels to the match by rail reduces the overall ecological footprint of the European Football Championship.
More than 180,000 fan tickets, 60,000 fan BahnCards and 7,000 EURO Interrail passes
All soccer fans with a valid match ticket can buy the fan ticket for EUR 29.90 (first class for EUR 39.90). DB's fan BahnCard is a special offer for all soccer fans. Best of all, if Germany wins the whole championship, the fan BahnCard will be extended automatically for a whole year free of charge. This promotional offer, which is available to fans from Germany and the rest of Europe, went on sale on May 15.
In addition to the offers for German fans, DB is also offering special Interrail passes with a 25 percent discount for European tournament visitors. This enables ticket holders to take the environmentally friendly option when traveling to soccer matches. The Interrail offer is very flexible and customers can choose from a different number of travel days. On regional and local public transport, every ticket for a European Championship match is automatically also a 36-hour ticket for local public transport (Kombi-Ticket), from 6 a.m. on the day of the match until 6 p.m. on the following day. Tickets are valid for the entire transit authority of the host city. See the UEFA website for more information.
DB teamwork behind the scenes
People from more than 150 nations work at DB. DB is therefore as diverse as Europe. DB has formed its own team comprising employees from all the nations that are also taking part in the European Football Championship: the DB Stars. 24 colleagues are DB ambassadors for a friendly host country.
Team DB: Around 150,000 employees from a wide range of departments are helping to ensure that guests can attend each of the 51 matches in comfort using the most environmentally friendly means of transport.
They drive the ICE and Intercity trains, regional and S-Bahn trains, and buses. They monitor the switches and ensure that the trains are clean, good to go and precisely where the fans need them. They look after passengers on the trains and take care of their physical well-being in the on-board restaurants and bistros. They prepare the stations for the many additional passengers, ensure security and welcome the fans in the host cities. In short, Team DB is a key player in ensuring smooth travel during the European Championship.
Security during the Euros
DB has many years of experience with major events and has long been preparing intensively and in close coordination with security and law enforcement agencies and UEFA for the increased demand arising from UEFA EURO 2024™. The security measures for EURO 2024 have been in the planning since early 2023. DB has been working closely with the German Federal Police and UEFA for months to coordinate security concepts for match days. The partners are in regular contact on security-related topics relating to the European Championship and fan travel.
Across Germany, there will be almost 6,000 police officers and around 4,500 security staff on duty around the clock at stations and on trains. For the tournament, DB is deploying around 900 extra security staff at stations and on trains. During the high-volume group stage, it will triple the number of DB Security teams on long-distance trains alone, and even quadruple them on busier match days.
Information for the media
You will find photos and videos of EURO 2024 in Deutsche Bahn’s media library. For more information and the application form for a station filming permit, visit this link and see our EURO document.
Go