In May, only some of Deutsche Bahn’s long-distance trains arrived on time. Construction work and an outdated rail network continue to put a strain on travelers.
Long-distance trains operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB) have recently become less punctual again. In May, only 63.1 percent of the company’s IC and ICE trains reached their destination without major delays, the company announced in Berlin. In April, the rate was 64.3 percent, and in March it was 67.6 percent. A train is considered late if it is delayed by six minutes or more.
The increased construction activity also affected the punctuality of ICE and IC trains in May, the railway company said. DB continued to increase construction work on the rail network so that as few construction sites as possible would slow down traffic at the start of the European Football Championship.
Rail passengers have been affected by the high level of unreliability on the railways for years due to the outdated network in many places. The so-called passenger punctuality fell to 68.1 percent in May, after 70.2 percent in April. It indicates the proportion of long-distance passengers who reached their destination on time in the corresponding month. Delays of 15 minutes or more are included in the statistics. It also records train cancellations, which affect punctuality.
Source: Stern
