FAQ - Your questions, our answers

Like all railway operators in Bavaria, the alex operates on behalf of the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG). BEG plans, finances and supervises local rail passenger transport (SPNV) in the Free State of Bavaria.

Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) is responsible for planning, organising and financing local rail passenger transport (SPNV) in Bavaria. As these are public transport services, they are put out to tender. The contract is awarded to the most economical bid. These tenders are usually issued three to five years in advance as it takes time to procure vehicles. The tenders set out detailed minimum requirements, such as the number of trains to be operated, the number of seats per train, certain comfort features of the trains and much more. The alex consistently implements these BEG requirements, including the timetable and the number of seats offered. Further information can be found at bahnland-bayern.de

EV (Ersatzverkehr) stands for replacement service. This is used when train services are subject to medium and long term restrictions. For example, if DB InfraGO announces long-term construction work, we can also organise buses for the EV on a long-term basis.

BNV (Busnotverkehr) services are emergency bus services that are needed when rail services have to be replaced by buses due to very short-term disruptions, e.g. when tracks are impassable due to storm damage.

Special trains are additional trains that are run on particularly busy days, such as public holidays, major events (e.g. the Oktoberfest) or sporting events, in order to cope with the increased number of passengers. They are integrated into the timetable and can be booked regularly. However, the decision to use special trains is not ours, but must be approved and ordered by the respective customer.

The Deutschlandtarif (Germany tariff) applies in the alex. This means that you only need one ticket for the entire journey, even if you continue your journey with other railway companies. You can find the right ticket here.

Tickets issued by the RVV, VGN, MVV and VLC transport associations are accepted on alex trains. For journeys within a transport association area, only tickets issued by that association are valid. Please validate all transport association tickets before you travel, if necessary.

The Deutschland-Ticket can be used throughout Germany on all local trains such as RB, RE and S-Bahn trains (SPNV) as well as on public transport such as buses, trams, underground trains, etc. (ÖPNV) of the participating state tariffs, transport associations and transport companies in accordance with the area of validity and their conditions for as many journeys as you like. This applies regardless of which transport company, transport association or state tariff is stated on the ticket itself.

The Deutschland-Ticket is not valid for journeys outside Germany, e.g. to Pilsen or Prague.

The alex offers the Deutschland-Ticket digitally via the NETINERA-Tickets app with barcode. For more information, please visit netinera-tickets.de.

The Deutschland-Ticket is accepted on our alex trains within Germany (i.e. from Munich to Furth im Wald). If you are travelling to/from the Czech Republic, please note that if you combine two or more tickets for the same route, each ticket is considered a separate contract of carriage in accordance with the applicable Passenger Rights Regulation. As a result, there is no entitlement to end-to-end passenger rights.

For a full description of passenger rights, please visit fahrgastrechte.info

Yes, the Bayern-Ticket is valid for journeys within Bavaria.
Yes, the BahnCard is valid on the alex. Please note that the BahnCard is not valid for journeys within transport associations such as VLC, RVV and MVV.

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.

You can pay for your ticket in cash or cashless by debit or credit card. Please note, however, that there is no entitlement to cashless payment.

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

Unfortunately, seat reservations are not possible.

If your alex connection is canceled, we regret the inconvenience and hope that you will still reach your destination on time. In this case, your ticket is not tied to a specific train connection. You can simply use the next available local train on the route without additional confirmation from our Customer Center.

Please note, however, that this does not apply to seat reservations with our partner České dráhy in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, these reservations are not automatically transferable to other connections.

Our trains are accompanied by friendly service staff. You can contact our staff at any time if you have any questions or problems. Our staff will be happy to help you with tips on excursions, connections or to sell you tickets at the alextreff.

An unscheduled stop may be necessary for various reasons, e.g. due to a delayed train ahead or for technical or safety reasons. Even if such interruptions are undesirable, please remain calm and take care of your luggage.

We ask for your understanding that our staff must also wait for information from the operations center before they can give you an update on the situation. In the meantime, please remain attentive and contact the train staff again later if you have any questions.

If you leave the train, stay in the immediate vicinity and do not move away from the platform. Listen carefully to announcements or instructions from the train crew to ensure that you get back on the train in good time. Also check that your fellow passengers are back in their seats.

Please get in touch with our train crew. Our staff will contact the control centre and try to keep the connecting train waiting. However, there is no 100% guarantee as there are certain train sequences that must be followed. In any case, our staff will be able to suggest an alternative travel option for you.

With so many connection options, priorities must be set. The timetable for the whole of Bavaria is drawn up by Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG), and unfortunately it is not always possible to meet everyone’s needs. If you think you may miss your connection, please speak to one of our staff on the train. We will make a note of the connection, but we regret that we are unable to give you a guarantee.

Check the live timetable on our website or at bahn.de.

If you expect a delay of 20 minutes or more at your destination, you have the following options:

• Continue your journey at the next opportunity on the same route or via a different route.
• Continue your journey at a later time if this means an earlier arrival time.
• Use another local train for which no reservation is required.

If you are expected to be delayed for at least 60 minutes due to a delay, cancellation or missed connection (excluding force majeure), you can:

• Cancel your trip and receive a full refund of the fare.
• If you use part of the route, request a refund for the unused portion.

Please use our online form to exercise your 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.

For a full description of passenger rights, please visit fahrgastrechte.info

Please use our online form to submit your claim.

Subscribe to our newsletter for your route. You will receive timely information about timetable changes by e-mail. Of course, you can also unsubscribe at any time if you no longer wish to receive the newsletter.

Every passenger is required to have a valid ticket. If someone is found to be travelling without a valid ticket, an increased fare will be charged.

However, it is possible for someone to unintentionally become a “fare dodger”. In such cases, the amount may be reduced if it can be proven that the passenger was not at fault. The cost of single tickets purchased cannot be refunded retrospectively. Use our online form to submit the necessary documents.

Yes, you can charge your cell phone or laptop at power sockets on our trains. These are located in every compartment in the gray alex 1st class (ABbmdz) and 2nd class (Bmz) carriages. Sockets are also available in the turquoise alex coaches (Abvmz) in 1st class.

Yes, there are multi-purpose areas on the alex where bicycles can be transported on a limited capacity basis. These areas are marked on the outside with a bicycle symbol. Please note that wheelchairs and pushchairs always have priority. For more information, see Bicycle transport.

Dogs for which a fee is charged (in accordance with the TBB-ALEX-VBG) may be carried on board provided they are kept on a lead and wear a suitable muzzle. Animals are not allowed on the seats. You can find more information about travelling with dogs here.

For better planning, we ask groups of 21 or more people to register at least 7 working days before the trip using our online form. Groups of 6 or more people can also purchase a group ticket with a discount of up to 50 % on the regular price. This ticket can only be purchased in advance from one of our agencies.

Attention: The discount only applies to group tickets on the Deutschlandtarif within Germany and not to the Prag-Spezial-Ticket or to travel to the Czech Republic.

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.

For operational reasons (e.g. for transfers), an eighth car is sometimes taken along on the alex, which is then unfortunately not available for passengers, but is blocked off. For safety reasons, additional train crew would have to be on board in order to use the eighth carriage. Unfortunately, this is not always possible in times of staff shortages. The eighth carriage must then regrettably remain locked. Passengers are not permitted to travel in it.

That sounds like a good idea. Unfortunately, we have the majority of our vehicles on the tracks during normal operations anyway. Other vehicles that are not currently in operation are being serviced in the workshop or are undergoing regular inspections.

The number of vehicles for a route network is also specified by the public transport authority Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) in the tenders.

There are also restrictions on the number of wagons that can be attached during operation. The decisive factor here is the length of the platform. In some stations, passengers would not be able to get on or off the train because the platform is too short. Safety comes first. Each door must be accessible from the platform.

Border controls: Since October 2023, border controls have again been carried out on trains stopping at Furth im Wald. This means that the alex may only be allowed continue its journey after the officers have completed their checks and left the train. The length of these checks can vary and can take up to 30 minutes. As the scheduled stop in Furth im Wald is only two minutes, delays can be considerable. If the alex departs late from Furth im Wald, the delays may increase further along the route, as delayed trains often come into conflict with other lines and scheduled trains have priority at junctions.

Single-track operation and tight intervals: Some sections on the Czech and German sides are single-track. If there are obstructions in these section, such as trains travelling ahead or construction sites, even small delays are passed on to the following trains, so that there is little chance of making up the delay, e.g. between Furth im Wald and Regensburg. In addition, there is a slower S-Bahn train on the Freising-Munich line, which often requires the cancellation of a train to compensate for delays in order to meet the timetable.

Construction work on the route: Construction work is inevitable in order to maintain and improve infrastructure. This can affect train services. However, the timing of the construction work is determined by the infrastructure manager, not by us. We adapt our timetables accordingly.

Unscheduled train passes and train sequences: As the alex shares the tracks with other trains, punctual trains may be given priority over late trains, causing further delays.

Switch or signal box faults: These determine where the trains go. Weather conditions or other influences may cause malfunctions.

Signal failures: Signals are critical to safety. If they fail, this can cause delays.

Other possible reasons:

• Overhead line faults
• Level crossing disruptions
• Accidents (accidents involving people or level crossings)
• Objects, animals or people in the track area
• Weather conditions such as storms that force a reduced speed
• Delays while boarding and alighting
• Technical defects on the locomotive or wagons

Coordination when there are several parties involved: If several railway operators are affected on a route, either the operations control centres of DB InfraGO AG or the dispatcher coordinate which train has priority on certain sections.

The decisions of the operations control centres are based on the wishes of all customers (i.e. the various ROs), taking into account the timetable specifications and the economic objectives of DB InfraGO AG.

Decision in the event of sole affectedness: If only trains of the same company are affected on a route, the company’s own control centre decides which train has priority.

Train delays can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which are difficult to predict. These factors include both infrastructural and operational conditions that can affect a train’s timetable.

Build-up and reduction of delays: Every train timetable contains time reserves that are used to reduce minor delays along the route. These reserves are buffer times that allow a train to arrive on time at a later destination despite a slight delay. However, there are limits to the reduction of delays, and in many cases new delays can occur, further disrupting the timetable.

A train is not allowed to leave before its scheduled departure time, ensuring that passengers who rely on timetables make their connections. However, the arrival time of a train can vary as these time reserves are used to varying degrees or new obstacles arise that cause additional delays.

Example of the development of a delay: A practical example shows how delays can develop: In the Czech Republic, a train runs with a 10-minute buffer. During the journey, a train crossing in Česká Kubice causes a delay. On the remainder of the journey towards Schwandorf, the train is able to make up some of the delay thanks to sufficient reserves in the timetable. However, a change of locomotive due to unscheduled shunting in Schwandorf causes another delay of 5 minutes. This delay is then again reduced slightly by the time the train reaches Regensburg.

Unpredictable influences: Another aspect that can cause delays is the fact that trains sometimes have to follow slower trains that stop at many stations. This causes a chain reaction in which subsequent trains also suffer delays.

The unpredictability of delays is a particular problem. Not every delay can be accurately predicted by the control centre. An example of this is a signalling failure that occurs suddenly and can easily result in a 15 minute delay. Such disruptions cannot always be predicted to the minute, so the control centre relies on information from the train crew. Even if the control centre predicts delays, these predictions do not always match the actual development, resulting in variations between estimated and actual delays.

Other causes: Roadworks and single tracks are other typical causes of delays. Construction work often results in operational restrictions, and single tracking means that trains can only travel in one direction on certain sections of track, slowing traffic and causing delays.

Interrelationship of delays: The relationship between the different causes and the actual pattern of delays shows that the rail network is a complex system with many interacting factors. Delays are often the result of a chain of events, where small delays can quickly add up, while the ability to reduce delays is limited. The unpredictability and large number of possible influencing factors make it difficult to make accurate forecasts, which further complicates the work of control centres.

The Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG) determines the number of vehicles for the route network in its tenders, whereby there are also operational upper limits for the number of attached wagons. As a rule, the alex operates with a maximum of seven carriages. Due to the higher passenger volume between Munich and Regensburg or Schwandorf, more carriages are required there and ordered by BEG. The wagons uncoupled in Regensburg, for example, reinforce the next train to Munich. This not only brings operational advantages, but also protects the environment, as no additional locomotive is required, which reduces energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. For you, this also means more comfort on the busy route.

Wagons for train reinforcements are coupled and uncoupled in Regensburg or Schwandorf. This usually takes place from Monday to Friday: in the morning in Regensburg, in the afternoon in Schwandorf, where wagons are coupled or uncoupled by shunting at the head of the train.

You can see how far the carriages are running by looking at the train running signs in the outside doors and the electronic displays on the gray carriages. If you are unsure, please ask the train staff to make sure which carriage you are in. Don't worry - nobody will be forgotten in the carriage. Before a carriage is uncoupled, our staff will make sure that all passengers have disembarked.

After the alex arrives in Regensburg, it may take a few minutes to couple the wagons for train reinforcements. We ask you to be patient and to spread yourself evenly across all the coaches so that there is enough space for all passengers. Please listen to the announcements made by our staff.

Train splitting in Schwandorf only takes place on one daily connection to Prague/Hof (departure in Munich at 16:44). One part of the train continues to Prague, the other to Hof. You can tell which part of the train you are on by the signs on the carriage doors.

All other connections run from Munich to Prague/Hof and back without having to split.

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.

Please use our online form and provide a brief description of the lost item. Our in-house logistics department regularly collects all reported items and transports them to the appropriate lost property warehouse. It can take up to three weeks for the item to arrive there. Due to the volume of enquiries we receive, please do not make any further enquiries about lost property. We will contact you as soon as we have found your lost item.

Lost property up to a certain size (up to parcel size L) can be sent by post within Germany. Alternatively, you can collect your item free of charge from our lost property office in Schwandorf.