Last year Deutsche Bahn (DB) paid a total of €156.1 million in compensation to its customers for the high lateness in long‑distance services.
Long‑distance division chief Michael Peterson told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that the figure represents a three‑fold increase over 2019, but a drop of almost €41 million compared with the previous year. “We believe this is partly because there were no major special events such as strikes last year” Peterson said. “Nonetheless, it remains a significant financial burden for us”.
Media reports indicate that DB Fernverkehr’s results also weighed on the group’s overall performance. “We can’t yet reach our full revenue potential” Peterson told the SZ. “The many construction sites and disruptions are very challenging. A multi‑week closure often leads to revenue losses in the one‑ or even two‑digit millions”.
Compounding the problem, DB Fernverkehr had to pay nearly €300 million more for track prices. “And when the promised track‑price subsidy comes through only half of what was pledged, we need to optimise elsewhere” Peterson said. Despite these challenges, the company managed to lift its earnings before interest and taxes by more than €100 million last year.
Peterson still flags the occupancy of long‑distance trains as a key issue, especially on routes where InterCity services run alongside regional trains. “The Deutschlandticket has pulled 15 million passengers away from our trains” he said. In 2025, the average occupancy of long‑distance trains was 48 percent. “Before the pandemic we were at 56 percent, and yes, that’s the target we want to return to”.