Short answer: Deutsche Bahn's new Familienticket 2026 is a return-trip flat-rate for up to 5 people at €99.99 (single leg €59.99) in 2nd class on ICE, IC and EC long-distance trains, including a seat reservation and free luggage. It can be booked from 14 June to 12 September 2026 for travel between 26 June and 14 September 2026, and is paired with a free Jugend BahnCard 25 for under-18s and a Super Sparpreis Young from €4.99 for under-27s. If you are planning a German family rail trip this summer, this is the headline deal.
For the first time ever, Deutsche Bahn has launched a dedicated family flat-rate for the German school-holiday season. Announced on 11 June 2026 by DB-Vorstand Dr. Michael Peterson under the umbrella campaign "Bahn-Familien-Sommer", the Familienticket freezes the cost of a long cross-country round-trip for a household of up to five, regardless of how far they actually travel on the DB network. The same package also extends a free Jugend BahnCard 25 to under-18s and opens up a Super Sparpreis Young from €4.99 to under-27s. Here is how it all fits together and how to get the most out of it.
What the DB Familienticket 2026 includes
The Familienticket is a single return-trip ticket (a one-way is also sold separately) with the following headline parameters:
- Price: €99.99 return for the whole group, €59.99 for a single leg in 2nd class.
- Group size: up to 5 people, with at least one child required (it is framed as a family ticket, so the booking must include at least one passenger under 15).
- Trains covered: all DB long-distance services — ICE (InterCity Express), IC (InterCity) and EC (EuroCity) — in 2nd class.
- Seat reservation: one included in the booking, so the whole family can sit together without paying the usual €5.90 per seat reservation.
- Luggage: standard DB baggage allowance included ("das Gepäck fährt immer kostenlos mit"), with no extra charge for suitcases, strollers or child seats.
- Booking window: 14 June – 12 September 2026.
- Travel window: 26 June – 14 September 2026.
For German families who usually dread the cost of a summer ICE trip — a return Berlin–Munich can easily run €400+ for a family of four — the flat-rate maths is striking. A family of five pays the same €99.99 whether they ride Hamburg to Munich, Cologne to Berlin, or Frankfurt to the Allgäu.
What the Familienticket does not cover
The fine print matters. The DB Familienticket is generous, but it has limits:
- Regional and local trains (RB, RE, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, tram, bus) are not part of the offer — you would still need a separate ticket (the Deutschlandticket at €63/month is the natural add-on if you also want unlimited regional travel: see our Deutschlandticket 2026 price guide).
- 1st class is not available on the Familienticket; the offer is for 2nd-class carriages only.
- Private long-distance operators such as FlixTrain are excluded.
- The ticket is non-exchangeable and non-refundable once travel has started, in line with the standard Super Sparpreis rules.
- Only one return-trip per group is included — you cannot string together two separate trips on the same ticket.
In practice this means the Familienticket is best suited to a single long-distance round-trip during the German summer holidays, with regional connections handled separately. The good news is that the Deutschlandticket 2026 at €63/month slots in cleanly underneath it.
The full "Bahn-Familien-Sommer" 2026 lineup
The Familienticket does not arrive alone. DB has bundled it into a wider summer campaign aimed at families, young travellers and last-minute bookers. Here is what else is in the package:
- Jugend BahnCard 25 — free for under-18s, from 14 June to 30 September 2026. Gives 25% off Super Spar, Spar and Flex fares in 1st and 2nd class for one year, with no subscription, no auto-renewal. Designed as a one-shot summer giveaway.
- Super Sparpreis Young — from €4.99 (or €3.74 with a BahnCard), for travellers under 27, on sale from 14 June 2026 on ICE/IC/EC long-distance services. The cheapest fare bucket on the entire DB network.
- Super Sparpreis (Last Minute) — from €6.99 (or €5.24 with BahnCard), bookable on Saturdays and Sundays for travel the following week, quota based and "only on trains that still have free seats" (DB press release, 11 June 2026). Available 9 May – 13 September 2026, with children travelling free.
- DB Junior Express (from August 2026) — a brand-new escort service for children aged 6 to 14 travelling alone on direct connections between Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin on Fridays and Sundays, staffed by "pedagogically trained companions" with age-appropriate entertainment.
- Probe BahnCard 25 + Deutschlandticket bundle at €5.99 (bookable from 26 May 2026) for new Deutschlandticket subscribers, unlocking cheaper long-distance travel on weekends.
The strategic intent is clear: get households on DB trains this summer, with follow-on discounts for the children once they have travelled. The Junior Express is the most novel piece, since DB has never before offered a dedicated escort service on the long-distance network.
How to get the most out of the Familienticket
A few practical habits help squeeze the most out of the €99.99:
- Pick the longest leg you can. The ticket is a flat return, so it pays off fastest on long routes: Berlin ↔ Munich, Hamburg ↔ Zürich (with a connection), Cologne ↔ Vienna (with a connection), or Frankfurt ↔ Berlin. A short hop like Cologne ↔ Düsseldorf would be a waste — pay-as-you-go Sparpreis is cheaper.
- Add the Deutschlandticket for €63/month. Together, the two tickets give you unlimited regional/local transit and a long-distance round-trip for the whole family. For a month in Germany in July or August, this is hard to beat.
- Pre-book the seat reservation early. Even though one seat reservation is included, it is one per booking. For a family of five that wants everyone in the same carriage, you can add a second reservation at €5.90.
- Travel mid-week if you can. Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days to add extensions (e.g. a separate Sparpreis to a side destination) and the trains are noticeably emptier than Friday/Sunday peaks.
- Stack with the Jugend BahnCard 25 for teens (12–17). Even with the Familienticket, the card helps on any extra individual tickets for older children, and it stays valid for a year.
For cross-border trips, remember that the Familienticket is only valid on DB-operated ICE, IC and EC services. On routes that mix DB and partner operators — for example Munich ↔ Zürich (DB + SBB) or Cologne ↔ Brussels (DB + SNCB) — you may need an extra ticket for the non-DB leg. Cross-check on Gopaxo before paying to make sure you have a single through-ticket where possible.
How the Familienticket fits into the wider European summer
The Familienticket is the German answer to a broader European trend: flat-rate, capacity-led rail offers for the school-holiday peak. Compare it with what is on sale elsewhere in 2026:
- SNCF in France is running a flash sale of 100,000 August tickets from €19 in 2nd class and €29 in 1st class for travel 3 – 31 August 2026, plus the standing Ouigo summer 2026 fares from €19.
- Renfe in Spain has launched summer 2026 tickets from €7 on Avlo and from €15 on AVE, for travel between 22 June and 13 September 2026.
- Eurostar is running its Duo Promo for 2–9 passengers at 50% off PLUS and PREMIER fares for travel between 28 July and 23 September 2026, bookable until 13 July 2026.
- DiscoverEU is still issuing its free Interrail passes for 18-year-old Europeans in 2026 (see our DiscoverEU 2026 guide).
For a multi-country summer trip, the practical play is to stack two flat rates: the DB Familienticket for the German leg and Ouigo or Renfe Avlo for the French/Spanish legs, all linked together by a single multimodal search on Gopaxo.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the DB Familienticket 2026 cost?
€99.99 for a return trip covering up to 5 people in 2nd class, or €59.99 for a single leg. Seat reservation and standard luggage are included.
Who can use the DB Familienticket?
Up to 5 people travelling together, with at least one child under 15 required. The ticket is non-transferable to other passengers once issued.
Which trains does the Familienticket cover?
It is valid on DB long-distance services — ICE (InterCity Express), IC (InterCity) and EC (EuroCity) — in 2nd class only. Regional trains (RB, RE), S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and buses are not included; for those, consider the Deutschlandticket 2026 at €63/month.
When can I book and travel?
Bookings open 14 June 2026 and close on 12 September 2026. Travel is allowed between 26 June and 14 September 2026, in line with the German school-holiday peak.
Is there a similar offer for young adults?
Yes. The Super Sparpreis Young is available from 14 June 2026 for travellers under 27 at €4.99 (or €3.74 with a BahnCard) on ICE, IC and EC. The Jugend BahnCard 25 is also issued free of charge to under-18s over the same period, giving 25% off Spar and Flex fares for a full year.
What is the DB Junior Express?
A new escort service for unaccompanied children aged 6 to 14 on direct ICE/IC routes between Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin, running on Fridays and Sundays from August 2026. Children are accompanied by "pedagogically trained" staff with age-appropriate entertainment. Booking via DB's digital channels, hotline or DB disruption management.
Can I combine the Familienticket with the Deutschlandticket?
Yes, and for most families it makes sense to. The Familienticket covers your long-distance round-trip on ICE/IC/EC, and the Deutschlandticket 2026 at €63/month covers all the regional and local transport in between — S-Bahn to the airport, tram from the station to the hotel, a weekend day trip on a Regionalbahn.
In summary
- DB Familienticket 2026 is a €99.99 return for up to 5 people on ICE/IC/EC, with seat reservation and luggage included, bookable 14 June – 12 September 2026 for travel 26 June – 14 September 2026.
- The wider "Bahn-Familien-Sommer" package also adds a free Jugend BahnCard 25 for under-18s, a Super Sparpreis Young from €4.99 for under-27s, Last Minute Super Sparpreis from €6.99, a new DB Junior Express escort service (from August 2026) and a €5.99 Probe BahnCard + Deutschlandticket bundle.
- The Familienticket is for 2nd-class long-distance only; regional transport is still on a separate Deutschlandticket at €63/month.
- For the best value, stack it with the Deutschlandticket for the regional leg and use a multimodal search on Gopaxo to compare with the SNCF, Renfe, Eurostar and FlixBus equivalents for cross-border trips.
