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An ICE sprinter at the long-distance train station in Frankfurt Airport: Herber loss for Deutsche Bahn
Photo: Frank Rumpenhorst / dpa
In the corona crisis in 2020, Deutsche Bahn made a gross loss of 5.7 billion euros.
A year earlier, the federally owned group had made a profit of 680 million euros, as can be seen from the current annual report that the railway presented on Thursday.
The bad numbers were already expected.
"In the current year, the group believes that business will improve again, but again considerable losses are to be expected," said Deutsche Bahn.
"I am quite sure: people will return to our trains and also transport their goods more environmentally friendly than ever by rail," said CEO Richard Lutz.
Bahn is still sticking to investments
The operating loss before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to 2.9 billion euros, after a profit of 1.8 billion euros in the previous year.
Sales fell by 4.5 billion euros (10.2 percent) to around 39.9 billion euros.
The main reason is the slump in passenger numbers during the corona crisis.
Nevertheless, the railways and the federal government are sticking to the investments announced before the crisis.
The number of passengers is expected to double by 2030.
This year alone, 12.7 billion euros are therefore to flow into the modernization of the existing rail network.
The hiring offensive also continues.
Savings program in personnel costs
Among other things, savings should be made on personnel costs.
The employers' side agreed with the railway and transport union last year on a zero round for 2021. Only in the coming year are wages and salaries to rise by 1.5 percent.
The collective negotiations with the competing union of German locomotive drivers (GDL) are still pending.
caw / dpa / AFP
