Whether it’s a train ticket, boarding pass, hotel reservation, or museum admission ticket, If you have your smartphone with you, the digital version is the more resource-efficient choice in most cases. BILD:

Why are e-tickets more environmentally friendly?

You don’t need an additional device for the QR code because you already have your cell phone with you. This eliminates the need for paper and printing, whether at a kiosk or at home. The few seconds it takes to turn on the display for scanning are negligible by comparison. Life-cycle assessments estimate that a printed A4 page emits about 4 to 6 grams of CO₂.

When millions of travelers use digital tickets, the effect really adds up. In 2025 alone, more than 87 million tickets were booked through the DB Navigator app. Combined with online tickets purchased on bahn.de, this amounts to over 120 million fewer paper tickets needed.

Our tip: Don’t just save your tickets in the app—save them in your email inbox or the cloud, too. This way, you can access them even if your smartphone battery dies or you lose your device — for example, by using another smartphone or a computer.

There are a few exceptions when a printout can still be useful.

You should print out your documents if:

• An airline or destination explicitly requires paper documents.
• You don’t have reliable access to your smartphone while traveling.
• You’re intentionally taking a digital detox. Of course, if you turn off your cell phone while on vacation, you’re welcome to print out those pages. As the well-known saying goes: “Think before you print.”