DB renovations delayed to 2040s: What can passengers expect in the coming months?

Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla has announced that the company’s major track renovation project will take longer than initially planned. Here’s what it means for passengers: 

Palla says DB renovations are delayed

At Deutsche Bahn, it’s not just trains that are delayed; renovation projects meant to improve punctuality are also lagging. Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla has said initial goals to renovate four major rail corridors per year were too ambitious.

Going forward, Germany’s national rail operator will aim to renovate two major corridors per year, or three if required for specific technical reasons. Palla said she is currently in discussions with the Ministry of Transportation and further details of the new targets will be announced soon.

The plan to renovate four corridors per year and a total of 40 major corridors was introduced in late 2024 by Palla’s predecessor, Richard Lutz, and former transport minister Volker Wissing (FDP). The project completion date was set for 2030, then delayed until 2036. According to Tagesschau, it might now be pushed into the 2040s.

Critical corridors which have already been successfully renovated include the Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim, the route connecting Berlin and Hamburg, the Betuwe connection between Emmerich and Oberhausen and the route connecting Hagen and Wuppertal. 

Palla tells passengers to brace for Umleitung

“We want to pay closer attention to how the corridor refurbishments are geographically situated within the network and how they follow on from one another in terms of timing,” Palla explained. 

The CEO also stressed the importance of ensuring diversion routes are adequately upgraded to handle increased traffic before major refurbishment projects begin.

Reducing the number of simultaneous renovation projects should reduce disruption across the rest of the German track network, but Palla said passengers can still expect diversions. 

And once renovations are completed in the 2040s, can passengers expect Swiss-style punctuality? Perhaps not. Critics have pointed out that delays continue on newly renovated routes, namely, between Berlin and Hamburg. 

“It’s also about the question: what specific service commitment do we actually want to make?” Palla said. “To what extent do we want to reduce disruptions on the line once it has been upgraded? [...] What level of uninterrupted service can we then guarantee?”

For a more in-depth exploration of the origins of Germany’s modern “Bahnsinn”, read our article Why are Deutsche Bahn trains always delayed?