Germany’s state-run railway is trying to assure people that improving its punctuality is still a priority, amidst figures released for how many trains were late last year.
Over a third of long-distance DB trains now arrive more than 15 minutes late, representing a virtually unchanged figure when comparing 2022 with 2021.
DB says the main reasons for the problem include infrastructure that is both outdated and that the company is running short of. The operator is also undertaking a range of construction projects to try and fix the problem, which is making the lateness worse.
On top of that, demand has increased.
While more than a third of long-distance trains are running late in Germany, the figures for regional transport are quite a bit better – with over 92 percent of S-Bahn and regional train services arriving at their destinations on time.
The federal government’s Commissioner for Rail Transport is appealing for patience from passengers, saying that the situation is so dire and upgrades so necessary that delays while taking the train in Germany are inevitable for the time being.
The current federal government has committed over €60 billion in cash to modernize Germany’s rail network over the next decade.
READ ALSO: ‘A disaster’: How did train travel in Germany get so bad?
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