If your card’s been rejected, don’t panic. There could be a few of simple reasons why –

  • Your card may have expired, or you might have typed in the numbers wrong.
  • You might have selected the wrong card type, or it might be a card type we don’t accept. Check if your card type is accepted.
  • Your card issuer might have declined the transaction. If you think this could be the reason, contact them for advice.
  • We put identity verification checks in place to help stop issues like fraud.
  • It may be a problem with 3D Secure.


We’d suggest trying a different card to make your booking, if this doesn't work contact us here.


Deutsche Bahn - booking failed


If you selected a seat reservation, it could be case that the seat reservation couldn’t be issued.   As soon as the tickets have been selected and paid for via our website, we forward the booking to the route provider's system, which then confirms whether the order was successful or not. 

If the booking failed, you can try to book again without using a seat reservation. Should there still be any issue, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our customer support team.