diff --git a/docs/service-simplification-plan.md b/docs/service-simplification-plan.md
index 115c7e0..fd087c5 100644
--- a/docs/service-simplification-plan.md
+++ b/docs/service-simplification-plan.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Service Simplification Plan
 
 Status: draft
-Last updated: 2026-04-05
+Last updated: 2026-04-13
 
 ## Purpose
 
@@ -71,6 +71,62 @@ Concrete next steps:
 Decision rule:
 - if a registry owns actual workflow behavior, treat it as a boundary rather than a smell
 
+## Implementation Backlog
+
+### 1. Keep the summary count contract explicit
+
+Goal: make the booking summary read clearly without duplicating equivalent count fields.
+
+Tasks:
+- use a single summary-facing count field for the sidebar and step summary views
+- keep the room-capacity-derived meaning explicit in the field name and docblock
+- keep the participant-shaping count logic separate if the code still needs it internally
+- remove template branching that compares two equivalent summary counts
+
+Acceptance criteria:
+- the summary template reads one count field, not two equivalent ones
+- the field name makes the room-capacity meaning obvious to a new developer
+- participant-shaping logic can still use its own internal count without leaking that distinction into the view layer
+
+### 2. Reduce `BookingService`
+
+Primary goal: make the booking create/edit flow easier to read by splitting unrelated concerns.
+
+Concrete next steps:
+- keep booking session lifecycle in one place
+- extract baseline room snapshot handling into a narrower helper or dedicated service
+- separate return URL handling if it stays conceptually unrelated
+- keep `startFreshBooking()` focused on booking bootstrap rather than general session utilities
+- keep hydration behavior obvious and local to the booking session path
+
+Decision rule:
+- if a method only forwards to DTO/session behavior, prefer removing the wrapper
+- if a method is a genuine workflow owner, keep it and narrow the surrounding API instead of splitting it into generic helpers
+
+### 3. Keep pricing calculation focused
+
+Primary goal: keep pricing code about pricing, not rendering.
+
+Concrete next steps:
+- keep `BookingPriceCalculatorService` as the pricing boundary
+- continue removing display formatting from pricing code paths
+- keep any remaining view-specific formatting in the presentation layer or a dedicated UI helper
+- avoid introducing another service that only formats values already known to the view
+
+Decision rule:
+- if a value is only needed for display, prefer exposing the raw numeric/domain value and formatting it as close to the UI as possible
+
+### 4. Leave the field-handler registry in place
+
+Primary goal: avoid unnecessary churn in a class that is already a meaningful orchestration layer.
+
+Concrete next steps:
+- do not refactor `ParticipantFieldHandlerRegistry` in this pass
+- revisit only if a later change can split ordering, mutability, and synchronization into clear collaborators without making the flow harder to trace
+
+Decision rule:
+- if a registry owns actual workflow behavior, treat it as a boundary rather than a smell
+
 ## Follow-Up Queue
 
 After the booking service pass, the next likely candidates are:
diff --git a/src/Service/BookingSummaryDataService.php b/src/Service/BookingSummaryDataService.php
index 9133cf8..9c63ce8 100644
--- a/src/Service/BookingSummaryDataService.php
+++ b/src/Service/BookingSummaryDataService.php
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class BookingSummaryDataService
 {
     public function __construct(
         private readonly BookingPriceCalculatorService $priceCalculator,
+        private readonly BookingSummaryParticipantCountService $participantCountService,
         private readonly CmsDataService $cmsDataService,
         private readonly HotelLoader $hotelLoader,
         private readonly CountryDataProvider $countryDataProvider,
@@ -74,8 +75,7 @@ class BookingSummaryDataService
             $cmsData = $this->getCmsDataForProduct($productCode, $hotelCode);
         }
 
-        // Calculate participant count from room capacity (source of truth)
-        $participantCount = $this->calculateParticipantCountFromRooms($bookingDto);
+        $participantCount = $this->participantCountService->calculate($bookingDto);
 
         $acceptedVouchers = $bookingDto->getAcceptedVouchers($participantPrices);
 
@@ -118,33 +118,6 @@ class BookingSummaryDataService
         return max(0.0, $grandTotal - $acceptedVouchers->getTotalDiscount());
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Calculates participant count.
-     *
-     * In edit mode, counts actual participants. In create mode, calculates
-     * from room selections by multiplying quantity by maximum capacity (maxPax).
-     */
-    private function calculateParticipantCountFromRooms(BookingDto $bookingDto): int
-    {
-        // In edit mode, use actual participant count
-        if (BookingDto::MODE_EDIT === $bookingDto->getMode()) {
-            return count($bookingDto->participants);
-        }
-
-        // In create mode, calculate from room selections
-        $totalCapacity = 0;
-        $availableRooms = $bookingDto->travel->getAvailableRooms();
-
-        foreach ($bookingDto->roomSelections as $selection) {
-            if ($selection->quantity > 0 && isset($availableRooms[$selection->id])) {
-                $room = $availableRooms[$selection->id];
-                $totalCapacity += $selection->quantity * ($room->maxPax ?? 0);
-            }
-        }
-
-        return $totalCapacity;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Fetches hotel display data combining local base hotel data with CMS images.
      *
diff --git a/src/Service/BookingSummaryParticipantCountService.php b/src/Service/BookingSummaryParticipantCountService.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e07c218
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Service/BookingSummaryParticipantCountService.php
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace App\Service;
+
+use App\Form\Model\BookingDto;
+
+/**
+ * Calculates the participant count shown in the summary sidebar.
+ *
+ * In create step 1, derive the expected participant count from room selections.
+ * In later create steps and edit mode, use the actual participant list.
+ */
+class BookingSummaryParticipantCountService
+{
+    public function calculate(BookingDto $bookingDto): int
+    {
+        if (BookingDto::MODE_CREATE === $bookingDto->getMode() && 1 === $bookingDto->currentStep) {
+            return $this->calculateExpectedParticipantCountFromRooms($bookingDto);
+        }
+
+        return count($bookingDto->participants);
+    }
+
+    private function calculateExpectedParticipantCountFromRooms(BookingDto $bookingDto): int
+    {
+        $totalCapacity = 0;
+        $availableRooms = $bookingDto->travel->getAvailableRooms();
+
+        foreach ($bookingDto->roomSelections as $selection) {
+            if ($selection->quantity > 0 && isset($availableRooms[$selection->id])) {
+                $room = $availableRooms[$selection->id];
+                $totalCapacity += $selection->quantity * ($room->maxPax ?? 0);
+            }
+        }
+
+        return $totalCapacity;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Service/BookingSummaryDataServiceTest.php b/tests/Service/BookingSummaryDataServiceTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e2cf7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Service/BookingSummaryDataServiceTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace App\Tests\Service;
+
+use App\BusProNet\Model\Booking;
+use App\Form\Model\BookingDto;
+use App\Form\Model\BookingSummaryDto;
+use App\Service\BookingPriceCalculatorService;
+use App\Service\BookingSummaryDataService;
+use App\Service\BookingSummaryParticipantCountService;
+use App\Service\CmsDataService;
+use App\BusProNet\DataProvider\CountryDataProvider;
+use App\BusProNet\XmlLoader\HotelLoader;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+use Psr\Log\NullLogger;
+use Symfony\Contracts\Cache\CacheInterface;
+
+class BookingSummaryDataServiceTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public function testCreateStep1UsesExpectedParticipantCountFromSelectedRooms(): void
+    {
+        $service = $this->createService(8);
+        $bookingDto = $this->createBookingDto();
+
+        $summary = $service->getSummaryData($bookingDto);
+
+        $this->assertInstanceOf(BookingSummaryDto::class, $summary);
+        $this->assertSame(8, $summary->participantCount);
+    }
+
+    public function testLaterCreateStepsUseActualParticipantCount(): void
+    {
+        $service = $this->createService(3);
+        $bookingDto = $this->createBookingDto();
+        $bookingDto->currentStep = 2;
+
+        $summary = $service->getSummaryData($bookingDto);
+
+        $this->assertSame(3, $summary->participantCount);
+    }
+
+    public function testEditModeUsesActualParticipantCount(): void
+    {
+        $service = $this->createService(2);
+        $bookingDto = $this->createBookingDto();
+        $bookingDto->booking = new Booking();
+
+        $summary = $service->getSummaryData($bookingDto);
+
+        $this->assertSame(2, $summary->participantCount);
+    }
+
+    private function createService(int $participantCount): BookingSummaryDataService
+    {
+        $priceCalculator = $this->createMock(BookingPriceCalculatorService::class);
+        $priceCalculator->method('calculateAllParticipantIndividualPrices')->willReturn([]);
+        $priceCalculator->method('getPricingBreakdown')->willReturn([
+            'rooms' => [],
+            'services' => [],
+            'surcharges' => null,
+            'grandTotal' => 0.0,
+        ]);
+
+        $participantCountService = $this->createMock(BookingSummaryParticipantCountService::class);
+        $participantCountService->method('calculate')
+            ->willReturn($participantCount);
+
+        return new BookingSummaryDataService(
+            $priceCalculator,
+            $participantCountService,
+            $this->createMock(CmsDataService::class),
+            $this->createMock(HotelLoader::class),
+            $this->createMock(CountryDataProvider::class),
+            $this->createMock(CacheInterface::class),
+            new NullLogger(),
+        );
+    }
+
+    private function createBookingDto(): BookingDto
+    {
+        $bookingDto = new BookingDto(new \App\BusProNet\Model\Travel(), 157047);
+
+        return $bookingDto;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Service/BookingSummaryParticipantCountServiceTest.php b/tests/Service/BookingSummaryParticipantCountServiceTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9f2663b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Service/BookingSummaryParticipantCountServiceTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace App\Tests\Service;
+
+use App\BusProNet\Model\Room;
+use App\BusProNet\Model\Travel;
+use App\Form\Model\BookingDto;
+use App\Form\Model\ParticipantDto;
+use App\Form\Model\RoomSelectionDto;
+use App\Service\BookingSummaryParticipantCountService;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+class BookingSummaryParticipantCountServiceTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public function testCreateStep1UsesExpectedParticipantCountFromSelectedRooms(): void
+    {
+        $service = new BookingSummaryParticipantCountService();
+        $bookingDto = $this->createBookingDto();
+        $bookingDto->currentStep = 1;
+        $bookingDto->roomSelections = [
+            $this->createRoomSelection(10, 1),
+            $this->createRoomSelection(11, 2),
+        ];
+
+        self::assertSame(8, $service->calculate($bookingDto));
+    }
+
+    public function testLaterCreateStepsUseActualParticipantCount(): void
+    {
+        $service = new BookingSummaryParticipantCountService();
+        $bookingDto = $this->createBookingDto();
+        $bookingDto->currentStep = 2;
+        $bookingDto->participants = [
+            new ParticipantDto(),
+            new ParticipantDto(),
+            new ParticipantDto(),
+        ];
+
+        self::assertSame(3, $service->calculate($bookingDto));
+    }
+
+    public function testEditModeUsesActualParticipantCount(): void
+    {
+        $service = new BookingSummaryParticipantCountService();
+        $bookingDto = $this->createBookingDto();
+        $bookingDto->booking = new \App\BusProNet\Model\Booking();
+        $bookingDto->participants = [
+            new ParticipantDto(),
+            new ParticipantDto(),
+        ];
+
+        self::assertSame(2, $service->calculate($bookingDto));
+    }
+
+    private function createBookingDto(): BookingDto
+    {
+        $travel = new Travel();
+        $travel->dateFrom = new \DateTimeImmutable('2030-01-01');
+        $travel->dateTo = new \DateTimeImmutable('2030-01-06');
+        $travel->rooms = [
+            10 => $this->createRoom(10, 2),
+            11 => $this->createRoom(11, 3),
+        ];
+
+        return new BookingDto($travel, 157047);
+    }
+
+    private function createRoom(int $id, int $maxPax): Room
+    {
+        $room = new Room();
+        $room->id = $id;
+        $room->label = 'Room '.$id;
+        $room->available = 4;
+        $room->status = 'Frei';
+        $room->maxPax = $maxPax;
+
+        return $room;
+    }
+
+    private function createRoomSelection(int $id, int $quantity): RoomSelectionDto
+    {
+        $selection = new RoomSelectionDto();
+        $selection->id = $id;
+        $selection->quantity = $quantity;
+
+        return $selection;
+    }
+}