German Train Delay Vocabulary — Verspätung and Announcements
After this lesson you can understand a delay announcement and ask what to do next.
Do this first: Telling time
German Train Delay Vocabulary — Verspätung and Announcements
Delay announcements are made of four words. Learn them and you know whether to wait, to run, or to claim your money back.
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Kulturnotiz
German trains being reliably punctual is a stereotype that Germans themselves find funny — long-distance punctuality has hovered around 60–70% in recent years, and complaining about the Deutsche Bahn is a genuine national pastime. The useful consequence is that the compensation system is well developed and staff deal with claims constantly: asking for a Fahrgastrechte-Formular is routine, not confrontational.
Common questions
+What does Verspätung mean?
Delay. Der Zug hat 20 Minuten Verspätung — the train is 20 minutes late. It is the word to listen for in any announcement.
+What does fällt aus mean?
Is cancelled, from ausfallen. It applies to trains, classes and events alike, and it is the announcement word most worth recognising instantly.
+When do I get compensation?
From 60 minutes late you can claim 25% of the fare back, from 120 minutes 50%. It is not automatic — you fill in a Fahrgastrechte-Formular and submit it with your ticket.
+What is Ersatzverkehr?
A replacement service, usually buses. When track works are the cause it is called Schienenersatzverkehr, abbreviated SEV on signs and announcements.