Data protection information relating to the season ticket contract and to the "Abo Online" service (only available in German)

For contractual reasons we require your personal data to complete a season ticket contract. The legal basis is point (b) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR.

This data is required to order season tickets, process payments, check creditworthiness, make a postal delivery if necessary to the specified address and to perform reversals and reimbursements, and to transfer information as part of the contractual relationship.

The season ticket is ordered and processed via a customer account that S-Bahn Berlin GmbH sets up as part of the contract process.
 

Application

The application and, where applicable, other modifications or contract amendments may be made in writing or via the online service abo-antrag.de of S-Bahn Berlin GmbH. The online service abo-antrag.de is only available in German. When using the online service we require additional data for registration and authorisation purposes to prevent your access details from being misused. 

Once your subscription has been confirmed, you will receive your ticket as an electronic ticket (VBB fahrCard chip card). The letter relating to the vbb fahrcard contains all the necessary information (as a VBB-fahrCard chip card or as a subscription on your cell phone). You will receive a separate letter with all the necessary information about any data stored on the relevant medium.

Handling of the VBB-fahrCard

Chip cards used within the VBB conform to the "(((eTicket Deutschland standard" (so-called VDV core application). Special focus was placed on data protection, data economy and consumer protection. This standard was developed in close cooperation with the Conference of Federal and State Data Protection Officers.

What kind of passenger data is stored by the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) Product Responsibility System (PV)?

The PV system only stores pseudonymized data. For location of transaction, it enters the location of the company selling the ticket. If the ticket is purchased in Berlin, this location is simply Berlin – not the passenger's place of residence. During a ticket stop, the time and place of this inspection as well as the product and device number are recorded as proof of the ticket’s check and validity. This information is then transmitted to the PV system.
 

How to use the "subscription on your cell phone"

Mobile phone tickets can currently only be issued for the Deutschlandticket and the Berlin-Abo. Tickets are issued via the "S-Bahn App", registration is carried out by entering the subscription number and an e-mail address. New customers can order via www.abo-online.de.

The QR bar codes used in the VBB are subject to the "(((eTicket Deutschland standard" (so-called VDV core application). A special focus was placed on data protection, data economy and consumer advocate. The standard was developed in close cooperation with the Conference of Federal and State Data Protection Commissioners.
 

What kind of data is stored by S-Bahn Berlin?

When S-Bahn Berlin issues a VBB fahrCard (e.g. in conjunction with the "Deutschland-Ticket") or a subscription on your cell phone, it stores data related to the purchase and billing – like the passenger's name, address, or banking details – in its subscription management system.

A valid e-mail address and a mobile phone number for SMS authentication are also required for the issue on the cell phone.

What kind of data is stored on the chip card?

For transferable tickets, the product, the region and fare covered, the ticket’s validity (time and geographic coverage) and the card number are stored on the VBB-fahrCard chip.

Personal (non-transferable) tickets also store an encrypted version of the passenger’s first name and surname (only the first and last letters are readable) and, where applicable, the year of birth on the electronic ticket. In some cases, a photo and the first and last name are also printed on the card.

In addition, the following, access-protected data is stored on the chip card: the ticket number and the number of the issuing transport company as well as the passenger’s date of birth (where applicable). The legal framework for this is art. 6 para. 1 f) of the DSGVO. The respective rights of those affected are ensured.
 

What data is stored on the cell phone?

Only the static travel authorization (ticket) is displayed on the cell phone. No data is stored.
 

What kind of data is checked during a ticket inspection?

Ticket inspectors check the ticket’s validity (time and geographic coverage) as well as the passenger’s name. This data is recorded on the chip card in the so-called logbook. If a ticket check leads to the chip card being blocked, this will also be recorded on the chip card. Such a block also writes the line and journey’s identification numbers into the corresponding data record.

On the cell phone, the static travel authorization (ticket) and the name of the user are checked against an ID document during the inspection.
 

How long is this data stored?

Proof of inspection data is deleted from the PV system once all checks have been carried out and nothing unusual has been found. Some basic data tied to the check remains on the chip card. The storage of these inspection transactions on the chip card is required for consumer protection. It allows the passenger to see the last transactions made with his or her chip card.

This form of data processing is considered acceptable by the supervisory authorities responsible for privacy and data protection. Passengers can delete entries in their chip card’s log at any time at one of the information terminals located at all S-Bahn customer centers as well as the Ostkreuz ticket office. Automatic storage tops out at ten transaction logs, which are then overwritten by the latest entry (ring memory).

How the log of the chip card is handled (consumer protection requirement)?

Passengers can access the entries on their chip card at any time, e.g. using the free "eTicket.app" as long as their mobile device supports NFC. 

If you register for one of our newsletters, we are entitled to use your e-mail address for advertising purposes. The legal basis for this processing is point (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.

You can opt out of the use of your data for targeted advertising at any time, taking effect for the future. You can e-mail your opt-out, for instance, to kundenbetreuung(at)s-bahn.berlin (advertising opt-out).

Abo Online (service only available in German)

When using our "Abo Online" service, certain device-specific data is automatically collected and processed. In this case, this refers to what are known as server log files that are typically created when you visit a website. 

As a rule, the following data is transmitted to us via these files:

• IP address
• Date and time of your request
• Time zone difference to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
• Content of your request
• Access status/HTTP status code
• Data volume transmitted
• Website (from which the request came)
• Browser
• Operating system and its interface
• Language and version of browser software

The use of this website without processing this data is not technically possible.

The legal basis for this processing is point (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR.

If you contact us, we will process the personal data you have provided in the course of our correspondence with you. The legal basis for this processing is point (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR.

If we process personal data that is required to perform a contract that we have concluded with you, then the contract is the legal basis in accordance with point (b) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR. Point (b) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR also applies to processing operations that are required for us to take steps before a contract is entered into; for example, in the event of enquiries relating to our products or services.

If our company is subject to a legal obligation that requires us to process personal data – such as a tax obligation – then the legal basis for processing is point (c) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR.

We store your data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purpose for which the data was collected and/or to comply with legal requirements (for instance, special taxation and commercial law retention requirements).

For the purpose of performing a contract, we generally need to involve processors, from parties such as computer centre operators, printing or shipping service providers, or other parties involved in performing the contract, who are bound by instructions from us. The external service providers that we hire to process data are carefully selected and subject to strict contractual obligations. 

The data can be forwarded to the respective contractual parties (e.g. credit agencies, collection service providers) for the purposes of initiating and performing contracts. Data is only transferred outside these contractual relationships if you have given your express consent to do so.

Data will not be transferred to third countries outside the EU/EEA or to an international organisation unless appropriate guarantees have been provided. These include the EU standard contractual clauses and an adequacy decision from the EU Commission.

Creditworthiness checks

In certain legitimate individual cases with new customers we carry out creditworthiness checks. To do so, we transfer the necessary personal data to an agency contracted by us, in this case Riverty GmbH, and use the received information as a decision-making basis for setting up the contractual relationship.

You may opt out at any time of the creditworthiness check by contacting: 

S-Bahn Berlin GmbH
Abo-Center
Postfach 90 01 13
12401 Berlin, Germany
Please note however that it may under certain circumstances prove impossible to conclude the contract unless a creditworthiness check has been made.

Payment defaults

In the case of payment defaults during the contractual relationship, the data may be sent to collection service providers and legal service providers, here Riverty GmbH, Gütersloher Str. 123, 33415 Verl, Germany to recover the claim. This is done regularly following a repeated reminder. You will be notified separately as part of the application process and also with the reminder about the transfer of data to the contracted debt collection agency.

You can request information as to what personal data is stored. You can request that we correct, delete or restrict the processing of (block) your personal data, provided these actions are permitted by law and in compliance with existing contractual conditions. You have the right to file complaints with a supervisory authority. The supervisory authority responsible for S-Bahn Berlin GmbH is:

Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz 
und Informationsfreiheit 
Alt-Moabit 59-61
10555 Berlin, Germany

You have the right to the portability of data that you have provided to us on the basis of consent or a contract (data portability). If you have given us your consent to process your data, you can withdraw this consent at any time, using the same methods that you used to give your consent. Any processing of your personal data that took place from the time at which you granted your consent to the time at which you withdrew it shall still be considered to have been lawful.

You may object to data processing for reasons associated with your particular situation if the data processing is performed on the basis of our legitimate interests. 

To exercise your rights, simply contact us at the following address:

S-Bahn Berlin GmbH
Kundenbetreuung
Elisabeth-Schwarzhaupt-Platz 1
10115 Berlin, Germany

or via e-mail to: kontakt(at)sbahn.berlin

General information

Cookies are small text files used to store personal data. We want to give you the option of making an informed decision for or against using cookies that are not essential for the technical functions of the website. Please note that rejecting cookies designed for advertising purposes means that any advertising you receive will not be as closely tailored to your interests as would otherwise be the case. However, you will still be able to make full use of the website.

Information is therefore available below on how and in what manner cookies are used on our web pages:

Session cookies

We use session cookies when ordering and managing products/tickets. You will need to enable cookies in your browser to use the management function on www.abo-antrag.de.

Website analysis

We use Google Analytics to analyse and optimise our websites. This way we can, for instance, analyse how many users visit our site, what information is most requested or how users locate the services they want. We record, among other things, data regarding from which website a specific person has reached a website (referrer), which subpages of the website were accessed or how often and for what duration a subpage was viewed. This helps us to design our products and services in a user-friendly manner and to improve them. The data collected in this way is not used to personally identify individual users. Anonymous and at most pseudonymous data is recorded. The legal basis for this is point (f) of Article 6(1) of the GDPR. The following provides further information on how Google Analytics works and how to disable this feature:

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google Inc, (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA). Usage includes the Universal Analytics mode. This function allows data, sessions and interactions across multiple devices to be assigned to a pseudonymous user ID, thus analysing a user's activities on a cross-device basis.

Google Analytics uses cookies that provide an analysis of how you use the website. The information on your use of this website generated by the cookie is usually transmitted to a Google server in the United States and stored there. In the event that IP anonymisation is activated on this website, your IP address is shortened by Google in the European Union member states and in other contracting states included in the agreement on the European Economic Area before it is transmitted. In exceptional cases only, the full IP address will be sent to a Google server in the United States and shortened there. Your IP address transmitted by Google Analytics from your browser will not be combined with any other data accessed by Google. On behalf of the provider operating this website, Google uses the information it collects to analyse your use of the website, to compile website activity reports and to provide the website operator with further services connected to the use of the website and the internet. Our legitimate interest in data processing also relates to these purposes. The legal basis for using Google Analytics is § 15(3) German Telemedia Act (Telemediengesetz, "TMG") and point (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR. The data sent by us that is linked with cookies, user names (e.g. user ID) or advertising IDs is deleted automatically after 26 months. Data which has reached the end of its retention period is deleted automatically once a month.

Detailed information on the terms and conditions of use and data protection can be found at

• http://www.google.com/analytics/terms/de.html 
• http://www.google.com/intl/de/analytics/privacyoverview.html

You can prevent cookies from being saved by selecting the corresponding settings in your browser software; please note, however, that should you do so, you may not be able to fully utilise all of the website's functions. You can also prevent the recording of the data generated by the cookie relating to your use of the website (including your IP address) by Google and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the Opt-out Browser Add-on from https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de. Opt-out cookies prevent the future recording of your data when visiting this website. To prevent the recording by Universal Analytics across various devices, you must complete the opt-out on all used systems. If you click here, the opt-out cookie is set:

Disable Google Analytics 

Note that this website has amended Google Analytics with the code "gat._anonymizeIp();" to ensure anonymisation of IP addresses (referred to as IP masking).

Interest-related online advertising

Various tools are used to display advertising tailored to interests:  Displayed advertising is based on previously demonstrated customer interest in products. We record information of our customers' surfing behaviour to display to you interest-related online advertising on our websites by means of a retargeting technology from the provider Cadreon GmbH & Co. KG (Speicherstrasse 57-59, 60327 Frankfurt, Germany). This requires cookies with an anonymous multi-digit ID number to be set on a user's computer. No other personal data is stored.
You can opt out of the interest-based advertising by Google, but also by other advertising networks on the advertising industry pages:
www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement
www.networkadvertising.org/choices/

Using the AdWords cookie and conversion methods, Google can assess the number of people who have opted for an advertised offering after clicking on a relevant AdWords advertisement. Where Google advertisements refer to the aforementioned S-Bahn Berlin websites, we receive from Google statistics on the number of purchases after clicking on a Google AdWords advertisement, but no information that would allow users to be identified personally.

How to disable the feature: If you want to opt out of this, you can set your browser so that it blocks the cookies from being forwarded from the domain "googleadservices.com" or third parties in general. You can also delete the Google conversion cookie in your browser's cookie settings.
 

If you click a link to an external website, you are leaving the pages of www.sbahn.berlin. S-Bahn Berlin GmbH does not assume responsibility for the content, services or products offered or the data protection and technical security on the linked website.

We amend the data privacy notice to reflect changes to functionalities or changes to the legal situation. We therefore recommend that you review the data privacy notice at regular intervals.
 

Last revised October 2023