The app that wants to help you avoid Deutsche Bahn delays
Tired of guessing whether your Deutsche Bahn train will actually arrive on time? A new free website uses historical data to show you how likely your next train is to be delayed.
Struggling to determine if your Deutsche Bahn train will arrive on time? A newly launched free website named DelayBahn may offer you the answer. The platform utilizes historical data to show users the likelihood of their upcoming train being delayed. For many travelers, delays on Germany's railway network are an unavoidable, albeit frustrating, part of their journey. DelayBahn may alleviate some of this uncertainty.
Created as a side project by Shashank Tripathi, the free platform doesn't predict future delays but rather provides users with an idea about the punctuality of different routes based on recent train performance. It is an independent endeavor unrelated to Deutsche Bahn itself. Tripathi developed DelayBahn out of personal frustration with frequent train delays.
The idea came to Tripathi from his own experiences with persistent train delays. He elaborated on this in a LinkedIn post, stating that DelayBahn aims to answer crucial questions for anyone planning rail trips in Germany. DelayBahn operates similarly to a conventional journey planner. Users input their departure station, destination, travel date, and preferred time, then receive a selection of possible routes. What sets DelayBahn apart is the additional information provided for each option.
DelayBahn scrutinizes historical delay data, presenting users with average delays, connection risks, and transfer reliability. Users can also filter results to find paths with the fewest delays, the lowest risk of missing a connection, the fewest transfers, or the lowest fare. The site allows travelers to view data from the past seven, 15, or 30 days and provides detailed statistics for individual services. This feature could be especially valuable when planning crucial journeys or transfers.
For instance, a connection that appears slightly slower on paper might actually be more dependable than a theoretically faster alternative. The platform also offers information about passenger compensation rights and helps travelers determine if a past journey might qualify for a refund under EU rail passenger regulations.
Written by urgent.news from The Local Germany's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
