Court Authorizes Online Connection Agency for Train Users

[Berlin, GERMANY] Yesterday the Frankfurt district court dismissed the
action of the Deutsche Bahn AG against an online connection agency for
people traveling by train. Judge Bernhard Seyderhelm ruled that the special
deal offered by Kartenfuchs.de, which joins train users together and gives
them access to cheaper group rates, does not pose a threat to competition.
The Deutsche Bahn had tried to prohibit the platform through a temporary
injunction.

Sven Koschik, the operator of Kartenfuchs, said that since August of this
year, he has brought together 29 groups and registered a total of 3000
interested individuals. However, the Deutsche Bahn’s lawyer, Christian
Schreyer, argued that special train deals are directed at groups with some
sort of social connection, such as families or members of companies. He
said that this connection agency leads to the formation of artificial
groups, and that the online offer could lead to a rise in group rates or a
restriction on group rates to family members only.