Icon: enlarge
ICE train attendants at Frankfurt Central Station: fewer passengers, shorter waiting times
Photo: Ralph Orlowski / REUTERS
According to information from Deutsche Bahn, a total of 81.8 percent of all ICE and IC / EC trains were on the way in 2020 according to plan - the train was as punctual as it has been in 15 years.
In the previous year, the punctuality rate was 75.9 percent.
The railway has also caught up in terms of punctuality in regional transport.
95.6 percent of all DB Regio trains reached their stations on schedule.
Deutsche Bahn considers a train to be on time if it arrives less than six minutes after the scheduled time.
According to the company, around half of the increase in punctuality is due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic.
Fewer passengers reduced the stopping times at the train stations; during the otherwise busy Christmas travel season, only half as many people were traveling by train as usual.
At times, slightly fewer trains were in use, including in freight traffic.
As a result, the route network was less stressed, especially at the rail nodes.
Fleet no longer so prone to breakdowns
According to Deutsche Bahn, the “Strong Rail” strategy program, with which the Group has been working on punctuality since 2019, has also had an impact.
With more than 1000 construction sites per day at times, the number of delays due to this work has fallen by five percent.
The damage caused by the weather is also continuing to decline.
Because more and more new trains are on the move in long-distance traffic, the average age of the fleet and thus the risk of breakdowns is falling.
By 2026, Deutsche Bahn intends to invest around 8.5 billion euros in modernizing the long-distance fleet alone.
The company receives a new ICE 4 every three weeks. More than 50 ICE 4s are already in use.
In addition, DB Fernverkehr put nine new double-deck IC trains into operation last year.
The Corona year drove Deutsche Bahn's balance sheet deep into the red.
But the top of the group doesn't have to worry, as the state steps in as the owner.
Bahn is apparently considering the introduction of FFP2 mask requirements
In the meantime, Deutsche Bahn is apparently examining internally the introduction of an FFP2 mask requirement in regional and long-distance trains.
As the "Bild am Sonntag" reported, Deutsche Bahn had already ordered ten million masks as a precaution by April.
So far, only the obligation to wear a mouth and nose cover applies on Deutsche Bahn trains.
FFP2 masks have a higher safety standard and, unlike the so-called everyday masks or simple surgical masks, not only protect the environment but also the wearer themselves. According to "BamS", Deutsche Bahn expects customer contact for the 40,000 employees alone with a daily requirement of 80,000 masks.
A consumption of two masks per day and person is assumed.
If the company also sells or gives out FFP2 masks to travelers, according to internal planning, 6.6 million pieces would be required every day, the "BamS" said.
The costs for the masks only for their own staff were therefore given as 2.2 million euros per month.
In addition, there would be 1.7 million euros a month as a hardship allowance for those affected.
Icon: The mirror
hej / dpa
