German Railways, Deutsche Bahn, plans to significantly reduce its long-distance train fleet and seating capacity, according to a report by the German news magazine, Der Spiegel, citing a confidential company document. By 2036, the available seating capacity is expected to decrease from the current 265,000 to approximately 244,000.
The report suggests that the Intercity trains in the regions will be particularly affected, with nearly every second of the current 55,000 seats to be cut. Additionally, the magazine claims that the company plans to retire or sell a large number of ICE trains, including the ICE3 and ICE-T models. The move is reportedly aimed at cutting costs and potentially avoiding an EU antitrust investigation.
Last year, Der Spiegel reported on the company’s consideration of cutting underutilized long-distance routes due to rising track fees. It now appears that the company is taking the next step by reducing its rolling stock. In response to a request for comment, the company told Der Spiegel that the figures referred to the existing seating capacity, not the actual availability of seats for customers in their daily rail travel.