BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – The weather or Deutsche Bahn. There are probably only a few topics that you start talking about more quickly – and usually because you are annoyed. Forever delays or the train is canceled straight away, of course the changed position of the cars or sudden track changes a few minutes before departure. Or the on-board bistro is closed and the toilets are blocked. In short: the train is often seen as a laughingstock, the tone between cynicism and resignation.
This attitude causes great concern for Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder. He warns that the state of the federally owned company is a danger to democracy. “This is going in a direction that endangers democracy,” said the CDU politician from the Funke media group in response to a question. “We must not allow people to believe that the state cannot get problems such as dilapidated bridges or notoriously late trains under control. We must show that we are capable of acting.”
Railway boss Palla: Realistic tone, clear edge – is that enough?
Anyone who complains that everything used to be better and that the train was on time also points to major projects that have been delayed for years, such as the BER capital airport, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg or the Stuttgart S21 train station. As evidence that German engineering, long a world leader, is in decline. But the largest permanent construction site remains the railway.
With the new DB boss Evelyn Palla, in office since October 2025, a much more realistic tone has already entered the Bahntower, observers praise. The manager finds clear words for the development of the past few years; she does not want to create unattainable expectations. Palla announced that punctuality should be 60 percent this year and warned that the modernization of the ailing rail network – a prerequisite for getting anything close to largely punctual operation again – would take ten years.
Which quick measures should help
A few days ago, a “task force” presented a package of measures that is intended to relieve congested central junctions and enable rapid progress in rail transport. Not just at Deutsche Bahn, but also at other providers and in goods transport. Among other things, “joker tracks” were mentioned – i.e. tracks in train stations that are kept clear in order to be able to react more flexibly to disruptions – or “flex departures”: In the future, trains should be dispatched slightly before the officially stated time, for example one minute, in order to set off more punctually.
These should be first steps. “The measures will be implemented in the coming months and reviewed at the beginning of 2027,” announces Schnieder – and immediately slows down: “Punctuality will not increase by five, six or seven percentage points.” Investments in infrastructure just take time. The railway is also heavily in deficit; in 2025 it made a loss of 2.3 billion euros. Palla wants to save money, cuts numerous management positions and demonstratively reduces the size of the board.
The Green Bundestag member Tarek Al-Wazir demands that the railways should receive even greater support from the federal government. “Railway chief Palla has taken the right course, but needs significantly more support from the federal government,” said the chairman of the transport committee to the Germany editorial network. “It cannot be explained that the special fund is not used completely for additional investments. That has to change.”
Schnieder promotes rail
Minister Schnieder is already promoting rail. He rejects calls for a return of the 9-euro ticket for local transport, as the Greens are calling for because of the skyrocketing fuel prices. But he is campaigning for the Deutschlandticket, which currently costs 63 euros a month and is “still much cheaper than regular monthly tickets”. “For large parts of our country, I can only recommend switching to the Deutschlandticket – especially in the current situation,” said the minister in the Funke interview.
One thing is clear: the railway will remain an ongoing issue for Schnieder and society – even if the major work is actually completed by 2036. “Then we brought the most important routes into shape,” says Schnieder. “But no one should succumb to the illusion that you won’t have to do anything for decades. It’s like the road. You have to constantly make improvements.”/bvi/DP/zb
