Deutsche Bahn may soon run fewer trains to reduce delays

A rail “task force” established by the German Ministry of Transport has suggested 22 measures to improve the quality and punctuality of Deutsche Bahn services.

DB task force delivers suggestions

The “Zuverlässige Bahn” (Reliable Rail) task force, comprising federal and state government representatives and rail industry representatives, has assembled a 53-page draft report with suggestions for improving Deutsche Bahn services.

Possible measures include running fewer but longer regional trains, assigning “Joker platforms” at central connection train stations like Cologne as overflow arrival platforms for delayed trains, and placing “passenger guides” on platforms to reduce onboarding and alighting times.

Other suggestions are more technical, such as improving train controls in signalling centres, improving communication with train drivers about network construction projects and improving winter maintenance.

Among the more radical of suggestions is cutting scheduled stops. For example, if there are significant disruptions or delays at a station, the train would miss this stop. This measure would largely be used for secondary stations in large cities, such as Südkreuz in Berlin or Dammtor in Hamburg.

If the measures are adopted, commuters in large German cities will be the most impacted passenger group, according to the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development.

ProBahn criticises short-sighted solutions

While Deutsche Bahn boss Evelyn Palla said that Germany’s ageing track network is simply too old and “too full” to continue serving as many trains, passenger rights organisation ProBahn has called the measures short-sighted.

ProBahn fears the changes would put the “transport transition” (Verkehrswende) at risk. While Deutsche Bahn passenger numbers have increased in recent years, as the national rail provider hoped, ProBahn says the task force’s suggested measure might drive more people back to their cars.

“I’m from Pfaltz, where the trains are already seldom,” one passenger at Cologne Hauptbahnhof told ZDF. “If services are reduced even further, it will become even less attractive for me to use the train.”

Christian Böttger, a professor in industrial engineering and a Deutsche Bahn expert who has previously advised the German government, told ZDF that certain measures were necessary to improve services in the short term, but increasing funding was fundamental for long-term improvements.

“[Government funding] has been withheld for 20 years,” said Böttger, “these investments must actually materialise now”. To understand the long road to all this Bahnsinn, check out our article Why are Deutsche Bahn trains always delayed?