In January, only 52.1 % of all long‑distance trains operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB) reached their destination on time, according to internal data reported by the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
The punctuality fell sharply in the days following the winter storm “Elli”. On 10 January just 41.3 % of the services were on schedule, dropping to 40.3 % on 11 January and reaching a provisional low of 36.2 % on 12 January. The worst performance for the month came on 26 January, when a mere 28.3 % of the ICE and IC trains ran on time.
The new chief of DB, Evelyn Palla, has set a goal of 60 % punctuality for the 2026 fiscal year. A spokesperson for the company told the “SZ” that January was the snowiest in parts of Germany in more than 15 years. During the “Elli” storm, 3,000 km of track in the north were at times impassable. About 5,000 employees were deployed daily to clear frozen switches and keep the network running. Previous to these figures, the month’s punctuality hit a new low of 51.5 % in October 2025.