Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, the complaints about Deutsche Bahn are currently louder than ever. Train diversions, cancellations, delays non-stop. Even the officially reported punctuality in long-distance transport, which counts very positively, does not even reach the 70 percent mark. What's going on there?
Thiemo Heeg
Editor in Business.
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You know that we are continuing to expand and modernize the route network.
At 13.6 billion euros, the construction volume this year is higher than ever before.
And that leads to this situation, which many only describe with the term railway chaos?
Growing and modernizing at the same time under the rolling wheel is a demanding balancing act: A construction site leads to road closures, diversions or speed limits.
This can lead to overlay effects.
What do you mean by overlay effects?
You know that from road traffic.
When a motorway is closed, the detour routes are usually relatively full.
Does the heavy rail traffic you mentioned have something to do with the holidays or are there other reasons?
We have been driving at pre-corona level for the first time since Easter.
That's very good news that the predicted increase in travelers is actually happening.
Nevertheless, when you started your new job nine months ago, you announced that you wanted the railway to become the most modern and…
...most popular...
…make the most popular means of transport. We seem further away from that than ever.
I disagree.
I think we're on the right track there.
I look at the contribution I can make in my department to improve the customer experience.
You are confident that this will work.
Naturally.
We must continue to advance digitization, we must accelerate it.
The fact that we have a higher volume of construction at the same time is also an investment in the future.
And also an investment to actually reach this modern and most popular means of transport.
The 9-euro ticket campaign will start in a few days. You should also advertise for the train. Isn't it pointless to start now of all times when the so-called customer experience isn't at its best?
I see the 9 euro ticket as an opportunity.
It is a unique opportunity to create a customer experience for many new customers.
And that's why all colleagues are reaching out for the roof to make it as good as possible.
A good customer experience in completely overcrowded trains?
Of course, we also know that we can expect significantly more passengers on individual routes and have to react to possible consequences.
For example, when a whole tour group changes trains on the way to a nice excursion destination.
Since it likes with the .
scheduled stopping times – which are planned to be two minutes – can sometimes be tight.
Does that mean it could get even more problematic given the crowds?
You have to differentiate.
There will be certain regional routes where we expect higher occupancy.
And at the same time we will be using more long-distance trains over Pentecost and the long weekends.
We are preparing as best we can, including with additional service employees who will then provide orientation on the platforms and who will try to distribute travel groups over the entire length of the train so as not to exceed stopping times.
Let's move on to the topic of new technologies, for which you have full-time responsibility on the board. Are they the solution to the problems of the railways?