Bet on German Train Delays • Hacker News Board

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#141

Post by joe_mamba » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:08 PM UTC

littlecranky67 wrote: post #139

joe_mamba wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is that an issue? It's a freelance gig, so you are free to ask for whatever requirements you want. But I remember being interviewed for a cybersecurity job at Siemens's Trains division and the german guys there started grilling me on some obscure cybersecurity standards used by the rail industry, even though that was never in my pentest resume and it's something that can be learned on the job. Germans really hate…

Because there is no other railway infrastructure company. They are looking for people they already employ.

What do you mean? How can they look hire people if they already employ them?

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#142

Post by consp » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:10 PM UTC

DocTomoe wrote: post #116

ozgune wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll save everyone a web search. This is satire and there isn't any such German federal court ruling. It also speaks to the world that we live in these days - I'm having a hard time separating satire from reality.

In all fairness, being both an avid Deutsche Bahn victim (with the Gold victim status), and knowing the German court system ... that was perfectly plausible, if a bit optimistic. I'd do many, many things if I got a 50% chance of arriving on time.

Gold status? Does that mean you only have to fill in two pages of forms instead of three for refunds?

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#143

Post by consp » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:19 PM UTC

luke5441 wrote: post #131

Idea for using the betting/data or other statistics about potential train delay: One gets back 50% if reaching the destination is delayed by more than 2h. Schedule the journey such that this is probable, making the journey 50% cheaper. Potentially with being able to define where one should be stuck waiting for the next train connected with sight seeing opportunities (such as the nice quarter near the Frankfurt main t…

For international through Germany we used to get 100% back after four hour delays but they stopped doing that ... For obvious reasons. I traveled for free multiple times in the (long) past. Also fun of you wanted to get more back: if you had a first class ticket and reserved seat and had to switch trains and re-reserved you would get a free ticket with a stamp price for about 5 euro. Which you could ask back. So you got at least a coffee for free.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#144

Post by wigster » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:21 PM UTC

DocTomoe wrote: post #116

ozgune wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll save everyone a web search. This is satire and there isn't any such German federal court ruling. It also speaks to the world that we live in these days - I'm having a hard time separating satire from reality.

In all fairness, being both an avid Deutsche Bahn victim (with the Gold victim status), and knowing the German court system ... that was perfectly plausible, if a bit optimistic. I'd do many, many things if I got a 50% chance of arriving on time.

Gold victim status - made me laugh

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#145

Post by flrlfmkhmem » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:21 PM UTC

moooo99 wrote: post #127

lava_pidgeon wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

SpaceX or rockets Generally, Telecom in Germany, flights in Europe, train transport in Japan and Italy.

> Telecom in Germany Telekom is a profitable enterprise. Yet, telecom infrastructure in Germany is on a remarkably bad level and relatively expensive. Cell coverage is also still bad, especially when travelling via rail or car. With the exception if the Japanese Rail, all the other examples are different in one crucial detail: they are not natural monopolies.

I don’t think you’re aware of how bad the national railway has been managed in japan, they even went broke in the 80s with trillions in debt and had to split up sell off all their infrastructure and vehicles. That’s the reason why there’s often many non-interconnected competing stations at the same site today.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#146

Post by throw0101a » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:25 PM UTC

fnordian_slip wrote: post #45

croisillon wrote: post #14

for the people who wouldn't have inadvertently clicked on the website: it's not real money, it's a campaign to nudge the German provider to care about their infamous delays

It's incredible that about 80% of people in this thread seem to be commenting without having looked at the website. In defense of Deutsche Bahn, countries with comparable infrastructure but more reliable transport have put in about twice as much money per capita for the last 30 years at least. Also, it went through a pseudo-privatisation back then, which hasn't helped (just private enough to focus on quarterly profit…

> It's incredible that about 80% of people in this thread seem to be commenting without having looked at the website.

Are you new to the Internet? This has been a thing since (at least) Slashdot. :)

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#147

Post by brazzy » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:25 PM UTC

vidarh wrote: post #53

brazzy wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucona kinda fits...

That was far crazier than I expected going into it... To the point I've seen Hollywood movies with far more believable plots that people would find unrealistic.

I just noticed the Wikipedia article has a very relevant and interesting link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_ship_(insurance)

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#148

Post by wink » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:28 PM UTC

gzread wrote: post #128

InfinityByTen wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was considering trains for a Berlin-Frankfurt trip, and after looking at the performance of the preferred train, I'm not sure I want to still go that way: 25% cancellations :/

If your train is cancelled, you can take the next train or a different train, without buying a new ticket. The app will tell you this.

So 3h of sitting on the floor because there's no seat after a canceled one?

I mean yes, better than no transport, but it's ridiculous. And if you have an appointment in the morning, 2h of delay are a deal breaker.

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#149

Post by strofocles » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:34 PM UTC

Aldipower wrote: post #65

Oh man, det er virkelig rigtigt sjovt!!! :-D "Jurisdiction notice For legal reasons, all BahnBet users, their devices, and their emotional baggage are hereby classified as legal residents of Schleswig-Holstein, the only German state where gambling is fully permitted. This is non-negotiable. By creating an account, you have moved to Schleswig-Holstein. Your new postal code is 24103. You now speak rudimentary Danish."

best comment this week, including the username

Re: Bet on German Train Delays

#150

Post by throw899832 » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 2:57 PM UTC

palata wrote: post #27

croisillon wrote: post #14

for the people who wouldn't have inadvertently clicked on the website: it's not real money, it's a campaign to nudge the German provider to care about their infamous delays

I am pretty sure that they know about the delays. A nice thing about the Deutsche Bahn is that they exist . It's not the case in every country in the world. Sure, they can improve, but it seems possible. The French SNCF has improved a lot in the last decade, for instance.

> A nice thing about the Deutsche Bahn is that they exist. It's not the case in every country in the world.

EU does not have a train monopoly. There are other train companies in Germany (FlixTrain, OBB, BRB...). And operators from other countries can also operate there, even French SNCF!

DB is blocking slots on rail, that could be used by other operators. And they are not going to change because it is Germany.