German Railway (Deutsche Bahn) will employ fewer new recruits in 2025 than in the current year. Around 5,700 trainees and students will start at DB in the fall of 2025, the company announced on Sunday.
In 2024, around 6,000 new recruits began their training at DB, the decline is due to the sale of DB Schenker, according to the company. For the railways in Germany, there will be as many trainees and students as in the current year, it was said.
DB’s Personnel Director Martin Seiler said that even during the S3 restructuring program, the company will continue to hire “unrestricted” in the operational area. The high demand in the direct rail business – particularly for locomotive drivers, maintenance personnel, dispatchers, and service staff – requires this. Furthermore, the tariff guarantee for all new recruits after the successful completion of their initial training remains in effect.
The company started the S3 program for structural restructuring within the next three years in the fall. By the end of 2027, DB aims to restructure the company in three fields of action – infrastructure, rail operations, and cost efficiency. This will include a reduction in the overall personnel demand.