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Germany: November train punctuality worst in years — Bild

December 3, 2023

Almost half the high-speed, long-distance trains of German rail operator Deutsche Bahn were delayed in November. It's the worst such figure in almost a decade, according to the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

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Two high-speed ICE trains belonging to German operator Deutsche Bahn on the rails at Munich's main rail station in extremely heavy snow. December 2, 2023.
Further severe delays were racked up over the weekend, particularly in Bavaria, but there heavy snow was the decisive factorImage: Sven Hoppe/dpa/picture alliance

The Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday that the long-distance services of German rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) were at their least punctual in eight years in November. 

The report said almost half the company's ICE and IC trains experienced delays during the month. 

"In November 52% of ICE and IC trains reached their destinations punctually," the paper quoted a DB spokesman as saying. "That's with roughly 75% of the long-distance trains being slowed by at least one construction site during their journey." 

The statistics do not include trains less than six minutes late, as Deutsche Bahn classifies those as on-time. 

Construction site at Bahnhof Blankenfelde train station, south of Berlin, pictured September 10, 2023, with an excavator on the railway track in the image.
A Deutsche Bahn spokesman said three quarters of long-distance trains had been delayed by at least one construction site on railway tracks in NovemberImage: Reinhard Kaufhold/dpa/picture alliance

DB: Performance unsatisfactory for travelers and company

The 52% figure compares to 61% punctuality for the same services in the previous November. In January this year, it stood at 73.2%, falling to 63.5% by the middle of the year before reaching the low point in November.

"The punctuality does not reflect our own standards and also doesn't satisfy the service that our travelers rightly expect from us," the spokesman said. 

DB told Bild that because of the "massive backlog in renovation" work, the company "has had to expand considerably its construction operations during this year." The spokesman said 11% more construction sites were affecting services this November than last.

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The German government and DB in September jointly announced a major rail network upgrade, to be completed by 2030, but warned the operations could lead to even worse delays until the work is complete. 

The report's publication on Sunday also coincided with considerable disruptions to public transport amid heavy snows, particularly in Bavaria in southern Germany.

Munich's main train station was closed on Saturday and IC and ICE services around the city were halted; DB's status report website said late on Saturday that it anticipated continued "massive disruptions" in Munich until at least Monday.

A Deutsche Bahn ICE long-distance train on the tracks at Munich's main station in very heavy snow. December 2, 2023.
Many ICEs in southern Germany were not just delayed, they were entirely unable to travel over the weekend amid heavy snows in BavariaImage: Sven Hoppe/dpa/picture alliance

msh/sms (AFP, dpa)