Data analysis conducted by the start-up Railwise, commissioned by the “Handelsblatt” suggests that Deutsche Bahn’s (DB) punctuality in long-distance travel is significantly lower than the corporation reports. Using an analysis of over 180,000 arrival data points, Railwise calculated that punctuality for ICE and IC trains in April stood at a mere 62.4%. This figure contrasts with the DB’s official declaration of 64.4%. Furthermore, while the DB only registered delays starting at six minutes, Railwise’s calculation-when including complete cancellations-showed the true punctuality rate was only 58%.
The data reveals notable regional discrepancies. In Bavaria, punctuality was highest over the last 30 days leading up to May 9th, reaching nearly 66%. Conversely, in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the most populous state, the DB long-distance traffic showed a punctuality rate of only 50.2%. NRW was responsible for eight out of the ten stations identified as having the most delays. Minden recorded the highest rate of delayed arrivals, with 61.2% of long-distance trains arriving more than six minutes late.
When confronted with the differences between Railwise’s analysis and the DB’s preliminary monthly report for April, a company spokesperson stated that the discrepancies could not be explained. She maintained that the measurements adhere to stringent quality and feasibility standards, ensuring a realistic and traceable depiction of actual operations. The spokesperson added that Railwise sources its data directly from the DB via the licensed “Timetable” interface.