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Passenger information on the platform
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Despite the planned extensive construction work on the route network, Deutsche Bahn wants to be more punctual in 2024. “We definitely want to end up above 70 percent,” said railway boss Richard Lutz to “Bild am Sonntag”. In long-distance transport, at least four out of five trains should be on time by 2030, for example ICE and Intercity trains. The target values come from a joint strategy between the railways and the Federal Ministry of Transport.
People wouldn't be upset about a delay of a few minutes, Lutz continued. »It's difficult when the delays last longer than 30 minutes, when you miss your connections and the trains are canceled. That’s what rightly bothers customers.«
In 2023, the railway had to pay record amounts of compensation to its passengers. Last year, the federally owned group processed 5.6 million compensation applications with a total volume of 132.8 million euros. In addition to the warning strikes, the railway cited more travelers, a record number of short-term construction sites and the onset of winter in December as reasons. In 2022, “only” 92.7 million euros were due. That was also a record.
According to its boss, the railway wants to achieve its target punctuality rate of 80 percent in long-distance transport by 2030 “even one or two years in advance”. The upcoming renovations would then have a stabilizing effect on the entire network. These are even essential. Without the fundamental renewal of the infrastructure, the goal cannot be achieved, said Lutz.
The condition of the German rail network, which is the cause of many delays, has continued to deteriorate in recent years. According to the network status report, Deutsche Bahn rates its own infrastructure with a grade of 3.01. More than half of the network portfolio assessed was in mediocre, poor or deficient condition, the report says. The year before the grade was 2.93. Values for 2023 are not yet available.
The planned general renovation of the railway involves the complete closure of important tracks for months. The railway wants to close routes from summer 2024. The work is to begin with the renovation of the so-called Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim. Experts doubt that the “Rail Transport Master Plan” will have the desired result.
Things are made more difficult by the tight state treasury: the railway actually wants to have more than 450 ICE trains on the road by the end of the decade. By 2030, the average age of the fleet is expected to fall from the current 18 to twelve years. However, the investment plans are not compatible with the federal government's austerity budget. Therefore, according to Martin Burkert, deputy chairman of the Deutsche Bahn supervisory board and head of the railway and transport union EVG, “further ICE orders may also be up for grabs.”
There should be no savings on bonuses for management, which Bahn boss Lutz defended in his interview with “Bild am Sonntag”. »My salary and the salaries of my board colleagues are not determined by us. Both the height and the structure are decided by the supervisory board," said the railway boss.
According to information from SPIEGEL, the heads of the desolate state-owned company are to be paid not only bonuses but also interest due to a special regulation for 2022. This would mean up to seven percent on top. Bahn boss Lutz could receive a five-figure sum in addition to his bonus of almost 1.3 million euros. Not only the board, but also the approximately 1,100 top managers and the approximately 2,400 senior managers at the railway would benefit.
Infrastructure board member Berthold Huber will receive 699,000 euros in “variable remuneration” for 2022 without interest alone. Human resources director Martin Seiler, who is currently negotiating new collective agreements with the train drivers' union GDL, will receive 736,000 euros - excluding interest.
The railway board members will not receive any bonus payments for 2023. The reason is subsidy payments as part of the electricity price brake. Deutsche Bahn has received more than 50 million euros from the federal government for 2023 from the electricity price brake. According to EVG boss Burkert, the bonuses for 2023 would have been similarly high.
Löw/dpa/Reuters/AFP