A new German transport minister, Patrick Schnieder, has expressed disappointment with the punctuality of the national railway, Deutsche Bahn, with rates of around 60% in long-distance traffic. In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, Schnieder emphasized the need for significant improvement, stating, “I would be very happy if we could reach a punctuality rate of over 80 or 90 percent.” He believes that the current numbers are unacceptable and must be significantly increased.
The minister also highlighted the importance of other key aspects, including cleanliness and safety, which he believes the railway must improve upon. Schnieder has given himself a two-month timeframe, until the end of the summer, to make a decision on the changes to the top management of the state-owned company, which were outlined in the coalition agreement.
Regarding the possibility of a toll for private cars on highways, Schnieder has ruled it out, citing the ongoing controversy surrounding the issue in Germany. He believes that the state’s special fund and the significant budget allocated for infrastructure can be used to make substantial investments in the transport sector, making a toll unnecessary for now. However, the minister did not entirely rule out the possibility of a toll in the future.