Deutsche Bahn has a problem with punctuality. This annoys many passengers, especially before the holidays. However, the group counteracts this and promises more trains, seats and more staff from December. In addition, the train does not do so badly compared to buses and planes, they say.
Deutsche Bahn wants to increase its capacity for the Christmas holidays to ensure smooth travel. “The train is well prepared for Christmas,” said long-distance transport board member Michael Peterson of “Bild am Sonntag”.
“With the timetable change in mid-December, we are offering 13,000 additional seats per day. Over Christmas, another 40,000 seats will be added in 80 special trains.” According to Deutsche Bahn, sales of the special train journeys for Christmas will begin on November 25th. The service team will also be increased by around 800 new employees by Christmas. “All of this will stabilize the situation,” Peterson said.
The railway has recently been repeatedly criticized, among other things because of unpunctuality. Peterson admitted: “The current punctuality value of 66 percent is far below our claim. But: Only 1.5 percent of the trains are more than an hour late, that is an average of twelve out of 800 per day.” In addition, the train also has stricter standards than buses or planes. “There, an arrival within 15 minutes is considered punctual. On the railways, a train is considered late from six minutes according to the timetable.” Peterson told the newspaper: “According to the bus or flight criteria, 80 percent of our trains would be on time. On average, a delayed train arrives at its destination just ten minutes after plan.”
Peterson cited the poor condition of the rails as the reason for the delays. The infrastructure of the railway is completely overloaded in many places and in great need of renovation. As a result, the trains are less reliable and less punctual than they have been in years due to the large number of small-scale construction projects. In the summer, Deutsche Bahn therefore announced the so-called general renovation of its network and identified several corridors with a particular need for modernization.
In the discussion about a mask requirement, the Deutsche Bahn board of directors spoke out in favor of nationwide uniform measures. “We would welcome it if the mask regulations were uniform and no new patchwork quilt was created. It would then be easier for us to implement the rules in long-distance transport, and that would also meet with greater approval from our customers.”
Peterson also announced that Deutsche Bahn will no longer use paper cups in the on-board restaurants from January. Instead, she relies on reusable porcelain crockery that is to be issued without a deposit.