Business · Companies · 12 hrs ago
Deutsche Bahn weighs fewer trains to improve punctuality
Deutsche Bahn has asked an independent commission to examine reducing train services on Germany’s overloaded rail network.
The goal is to make passenger and freight services more reliable, but no cuts have been decided.
In September, only 52.4% of long-distance trains arrived on time.
The network is under strain: in 2025, more than 10% of trains ran on routes operating above 115% of capacity.
Over the past decade, delays caused by congestion have increased by 150%.
The commission will assess the network’s capacity and suggest how fewer trains might improve punctuality.
Deutsche Bahn is considering reducing train services on congested routes to improve punctuality.
The company has commissioned an independent expert panel called “Robuster Fahrplan” to assess the network and possible changes.
In September, just 52.4 percent of long-distance trains arrived on time.
The company said more than 10 percent of trains in 2025 ran on routes operating above 115 percent capacity.
The panel is expected to examine network capacity and propose ways to improve reliability with fewer trains.
- Who
- Deutsche Bahn has commissioned an independent expert panel. Former federal rail commissioner Enak Ferlemann will be a member.
- What
- The panel will assess whether reducing train services could improve punctuality.
- When
- The news was reported on October 30, 2026. The September punctuality figure was 52.4 percent.
- Where
- Germany’s rail network.
- Why
- The network is overloaded, and delays caused by congestion have increased.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
More than 10 percent of trains ran on routes with utilization above 115 percent.
Delays caused by congestion on German railways increased by 150 percent.
Only 52.4 percent of long-distance trains arrived on time.
Reports said Deutsche Bahn had commissioned an independent panel to assess possible train-service reductions.
- Panel
- Independent commission named “Robuster Fahrplan
- September punctuality
- 52.4 percent of long-distance trains arrived on time
- 2025 network use
- More than 10 percent of trains ran on routes above 115 percent utilization
- Congestion delays
- Increased by 150 percent over the past ten years
- Example route
- Berlin–Hamburg long-distance service could be reduced from every 30 minutes to once an hour
3 sources
What people are saying
With the commission, we want to tell people the truth: given the state of the network, far too many trains are running on our tracks.
An example could be that between Berlin and Hamburg, only one long-distance train runs per hour instead of every 30 minutes, but the trains run reliably.
People would rather have fewer trains running, but have them run on time.