Four warning strikes, many construction sites, a severe onset of winter: Because of these and other problems, the railway paid out more compensation last year than ever before. The group paid out a total of 132.8 million euros to customers for delays and train cancellations, a spokesman said upon request. The jump is huge: 92.7 million euros were paid out in 2022 – that was also a record at the time.
In addition to the warning strikes, Deutsche Bahn cited a significant increase in the number of travelers compared to the previous year, a record number of short-term construction sites and the onset of winter in December. A total of 5.6 million compensation applications were processed. The train reimburses a quarter of the fare for delays of one hour or more, and half of the fare for delays of two hours or more. Last year, the train was more unpunctual than it has been for a long time: only 64 percent of long-distance train stops were reached on time – i.e. less than 6 minutes late.
In the event of train cancellations due to strikes or warning strikes, passengers can get the entire ticket price back. Last year the railway was on strike four times, twice each by the railway and transport union EVG and the train drivers’ union GDL.
A DB spokesman emphasized that rail travelers benefit from the most generous regulations of all means of transport. “But it is also true: there is a three-digit million amount missing that is needed for the urgently needed investments in the modernization of the railways in Germany,” said the spokesman. “This is the only way we can sustainably improve the punctuality of our trains.”