TrainOwed vs. Other Train Compensation Services — Honest Comparison

Several services handle EU train delay compensation claims in Germany. They all operate under the same legal framework — EU Regulation 2021/782 — but differ in fees, operator coverage, and how they handle rejections.

Fee comparison

| Service | Commission | Minimum fee | VAT added? | Covers German operators? |

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

| TrainOwed | 25% | None | No | Yes — all major operators |

| Refundmore | 30% | None | No | Yes |

| Myfairness | 27% | None | No | Partial (DB only) |

| ClaimCompass | 25% + €2 | €2 minimum | No | Partial |

| Fairplane | 35% | None | Yes (19% DE) | Yes |

*Fees current as of April 2026. Always verify on the provider's website before submitting.*

What all services do the same

Every legitimate train compensation service:

• Submits your claim to the operator on your behalf
• Charges nothing if the claim fails (no-win, no-fee)
• Works under a power of attorney you grant at signup
• Is bound by the same EU Regulation 2021/782

The legal outcome is the same regardless of which service you use — the regulation dictates what operators owe you.

Where services differ

Operator coverage

Deutsche Bahn (ICE, IC, RE, RB) is the focus of most services. Fewer services cover S-Bahn networks (Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg), Flixtrain, BRB, Metronom, ODEG, and Go-Ahead Bayern.

TrainOwed covers all of these. If your delayed journey was on a regional or suburban service, check whether your chosen service covers that operator before submitting.

Rejection and appeals handling

DB rejects approximately 8–12% of first claims. What happens next varies:

• Some services accept the rejection and close the case
• Others (including TrainOwed) appeal formally and escalate to the Bundesnetzagentur if needed

Before choosing a service, check their stated policy on rejections.

Language support

Most services operate in German and English. TrainOwed supports 9 languages — useful for immigrants in Germany who are more likely to travel by train and less likely to know their rights.

TrainOwed's specific positioning

TrainOwed is focused specifically on Germany as its first market. The 25% fee is mid-range. There is no minimum payout, which matters for lower-value tickets where other services might apply a floor.

The service was built with multilingual passengers in mind — Germany has over 13 million residents with non-German mother tongues.

Which service should you use?

For most passengers in Germany, the most important factors are:

• Does it cover your operator? — Check before submitting
• Does it appeal rejections? — This matters for borderline claims
• Is the fee VAT-inclusive? — Some services quote 25% but add 19% German VAT on top

If you want the lowest fee on a DB ICE claim with no complications, a service charging 25% with no minimum and no VAT is the right choice. TrainOwed fits that profile.

For maximum recovery on a straightforward claim, [claiming directly from DB](https://www.bahn.de/service/informationen-buchung/fahrgastrechte) at no cost is always an option.