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Self-Hosting 🐳

Hosting your own instance of the DBF (DB-Fahrplan / db-fakedisplay) backend API offers several benefits and is highly recommended for advanced setups.

Why Host Your Own DBF Server?

Using the public API instance at dbf.finalrewind.org is convenient, but hosting your own instance has several major advantages:

  1. Bypass Integration Limits: The integration limits you to 30 sensors by default when using the public API to prevent overwhelming the public infrastructure. With a self-hosted instance, this limit is lifted.
  2. No Rate Limits or IP Bans: The public API enforces a strict rate limit of 30 requests per minute total and 1 request per station per minute. If you have many sensors or short update intervals, you risk being temporarily or permanently rate-limited or IP-banned.
  3. Improved Reliability & Speed: Your queries do not depend on the public API's availability and network latency, resulting in faster and more reliable sensor updates.
  4. Local Wagon Order Cache: Self-hosted instances can download and cache wagon order diagrams locally.

How to Host Your Own DBF Server

There are two primary ways to host the backend:

If you run Home Assistant OS or Supervised, you can install the DBF App as a local add-on.

  • Repository: FaserF/hassio-addons
  • Installation:
  • Go to Settings > Add-ons > Add-on Store.
  • Click the three dots in the top-right and select Repositories.
  • Add https://github.com/FaserF/hassio-addons.
  • Find DBF (DB-Infoscreen) in the list and click Install.
  • Start the add-on.

Ingress Support

The add-on fully supports Home Assistant Ingress. You can access the DB-Infoscreen web interface directly inside your Home Assistant UI by clicking Open Web UI on the add-on page or adding it to your sidebar.

Configuration Options

You can configure the add-on via the Configuration tab:

  • workers: (Default 2) Number of worker processes for the hypnotoad web server. Increase if you have many simultaneous users.
  • log_level: (Default info) Set the logging detail level. Possible values: debug, info, warning, error, fatal.
  • imprint_name / imprint_address: Configures the imprint information shown on the web interface footer.
  • privacy_policy_url: Configures a link to your external privacy policy if required.

🧩 Automatic Integration Management & Synchronization

When this add-on starts, it automatically manages the DB Infoscreen Integration for you:

  1. Detection: It checks if the db_infoscreen custom component is installed in your /config/custom_components/ directory.
  2. Auto-Install/Update: If the integration is missing or a newer release exists on GitHub, the add-on will automatically download and install/update the custom component files.
  3. Notification: If the integration was updated or installed, a persistent notification will appear on your Home Assistant dashboard, prompting you to restart Home Assistant.

To set up the integration to use this add-on's API, configure it in Home Assistant under Settings > Devices & Services with your local URL (e.g. http://127.0.0.1:8092 or your router's IP if accessing externally).

The official backend db-fakedisplay is available as a Docker image.

  • GitHub Repository: derf/db-fakedisplay
  • Run command: 
    docker run -d -p 8092:8092 derf/db-fakedisplay:latest
  • Once running, point the Custom API URL in your integration configuration to http://<your-docker-host-ip>:8092.

Rate Limits & Data Sources on Self-Hosted Instances

Where does the data come from?

Even on a self-hosted instance, the server does not generate train data itself. Instead, the backend connects directly to the official transit APIs:

  • Deutsche Bahn IRIS-TTS: An XML-based API providing real-time departure boards and train paths for Deutsche Bahn stations.
  • Local HAFAS/EFA APIs: The official APIs of the respective regional transport networks (e.g., RMV, VRN, KVV).
  • DB Wagon Order API: For fetching wagon arrangements.

What are the rate limits when self-hosted?

  • To the Backend: There are no rate limits between your Home Assistant instance and your self-hosted DBF server, as they run on your local network or private server.
  • To the Upstream APIs (DB, HAFAS): The self-hosted server queries the official APIs directly. Because these public interfaces are designed to handle millions of queries daily from official passenger apps, your single home setup querying every few minutes will not trigger any rate limits or bans from Deutsche Bahn.