Only 48,5% of DB long-distance trains were on time in October 2025

Another month of damning punctuality figures for Deutsche Bahn: Fewer than half of long-distance trains operated by the German national rail company arrived on time in October 2025.

Just 48,5 percent of DB trains on time in October

According to a report by Süddeutsche Zeitung, only 48,5 percent of long-distance trains operated by Deutsche Bahn arrived on time in October 2025. 

Deutsche Bahn considers a train on time when it arrives at a destination no longer than five minutes and 59 seconds after the scheduled arrival time. This is a generous buffer period compared to neighbouring Switzerland, where SBB considers a train delayed if it arrives three minutes after schedule.

The October 2025 figures set a new record for poor punctuality at Deutsche Bahn. Until now, the month with the poorest punctuality performance was November 2023, when 52 percent of long-distance services were late.

Construction works are behind the delays, says DB

According to Deutsche Bahn, major construction works were the main reason for such bad punctuality last month, inclement weather was also cited. “Train congestion quickly spreads across the whole network and burdens the network nationwide,” a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson told the newspaper.

After Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz was fired over poor punctuality figures in August, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) appointed Evelyn Palla as Lutz’s successor.

Announcing Palla’s appointment, Schnieder said Deutsche Bahn had a new punctuality goal: that 70 percent of long-distance train services would arrive on time by 2029. This is actually down from previous government goal of 80 percent punctuality in the immediate future and a long-term goal of 90 percent punctuality.

For comparison, 81 percent of trains in neighbouring Austria were on time in 2024, 83 percent in Czechia, 87 percent in France, 91 percent in Denmark, 96 percent in Belgium and an impressive 99 percent in Switzerland.