In the wage dispute with the train drivers' union GDL, Deutsche Bahn has presented a new offer.
It includes a corona premium of up to 600 euros and a term of the collective agreement of 36 months, as announced on Wednesday from railway circles.
So far, the railway had offered a term of 40 months and had not quantified the amount of the premium.
The offer had been submitted to GDL in writing, it said.
Shortly before, the third strike of the current collective bargaining round had started in freight transport.
Weselsky's answer is pending
Even before the previous round of strikes last week, the state-owned railway had promised a corona bonus and thus hoped to be able to avert the labor dispute at the time.
GDL boss Claus Weselsky rejected the initiative shortly afterwards and criticized, among other things, that the railway had not given a specific number.
The now offered € 600 bonus corresponds to the demands of the union.
With the term of a collective agreement, however, the GDL wants to achieve 29 months.
She also wants the first tariff level of 1.7 percent to be paid in the current year.
Weselsky's response to the Deutsche Bahn's offer was initially pending.
The union had started the freight transport strike on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning at 2 a.m., the labor dispute is to be expanded to include passenger traffic. This time the strike will last more than five days. It was initially unclear whether the railway could still prevent the industrial action with the advance.