TrainOwed vs. Claiming Yourself — Which Is Better?

EU Regulation 2021/782 gives you the right to claim train delay compensation directly from the operator — no third party needed. So why would you use a claims service?

The honest answer: you don't have to. But for most passengers, the tradeoff is worth it.

The core comparison

| Factor | DIY claim | TrainOwed |

|---|---|---|

| Cost | Free | 25% of recovered amount |

| Time required | 30–90 minutes | Under 2 minutes |

| Rejection handling | You must appeal yourself | TrainOwed appeals for free |

| Escalation | You contact Bundesnetzagentur | TrainOwed handles it |

| Success on first submission | ~88% (DB average) | ~94% (including appeals) |

| Languages supported | German only (DB form) | 9 languages |

| Works for all operators | No — each has a separate form | Yes |

When DIY makes sense

Claiming directly from Deutsche Bahn is straightforward if:

• Your delay was clearly over 120 minutes with no dispute
• You speak German or English (DB's form is in both)
• You have time to fill in and track the claim
• Your ticket was a simple single-journey booking

The [DB Fahrgastrechte form](https://www.bahn.de/service/informationen-buchung/fahrgastrechte) at bahn.de handles most standard claims in about 30 minutes. DB must respond within 30 days under EU law.

When TrainOwed makes more sense

TrainOwed becomes the better option when:

• Your claim involves a complex through-ticket, missed connection, or multiple operators
• DB rejected your first claim (8–12% of claims are rejected on first submission)
• You don't speak German and are unsure about the form
• You want zero admin — you have 2 minutes, not 30
• The delay was borderline (60–70 minutes) and you expect a dispute

The 25% fee — is it worth it?

TrainOwed charges 25% of whatever you recover. On a €100 ticket with a 2-hour delay, you are owed €50. TrainOwed keeps €12.50. You receive €37.50.

If you claimed DIY successfully, you would get the full €50. The question is: would you have claimed at all?

Research suggests [47% of passengers owed compensation never submit a claim](https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Eisenbahn/Unternehmen_Institutionen/Verbraucher/Monitoringbericht/Monitoringbericht2024.pdf). The biggest barrier is friction — finding the right form, uploading documents, following up on a rejection. TrainOwed removes all of that.

Appeals and rejections

This is where TrainOwed has the clearest advantage. If DB rejects a claim, you have to:

• Write a formal appeal citing EU 2021/782
• Wait another 30 days
• If rejected again, file a complaint with the [Bundesnetzagentur](https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Vportal/TK/Telefonie/Telefonbeschwerden/start.html)

This process takes weeks and requires knowing which legal grounds to cite. TrainOwed handles all of it at no additional cost — the 25% only applies if the claim succeeds.

Verdict

For simple, high-value claims where you have time and speak German: claim directly and keep 100%.

For everything else — complex journeys, rejections, multiple operators, or if you just want it handled — TrainOwed is faster and recovers more in practice.

Either way, you should claim. [Deutsche Bahn paid out €196.8 million in compensation in 2024](https://ir.deutschebahn.com/2024/en/) — most of the money owed to passengers who did not claim went uncollected.