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Deutsche Bahn IC on Christmas Eve at Bremen Central Station
Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich / dpa
Apparently more people in Germany dared to visit relatives again on Christmas days this year.
This is indicated by the number of passengers on the train.
In long-distance traffic, the group counted around 1.6 million travelers between December 22nd and 26th, a spokesman said.
That was about twice as many passengers as in 2020. "Nevertheless, the number of passengers was still below those from the pre-pandemic year 2019," it said.
In 2019, Deutsche Bahn transported around 2.8 million long-distance passengers between December 20 and 26, according to information provided at the time.
At that time, however, the trains were more punctual at Christmas time: the rate of long-distance trains in December 2019 was and 86 percent. At DB, a train is punctual if it reaches a destination with less than 6 minutes delay.
This year, this value was around 80 percent in the two-day shorter assessment period, according to Bahn.
Bahn controls half a million passengers on 3G
However, there were no significant restrictions in rail traffic even on the busiest days, December 22nd and 23rd, it said.
For a few weeks now, rail passengers have also had to have recovered, tested or vaccinated in accordance with the 3G rules.
According to their own statements, rail and security personnel have checked around half a million passengers since the introduction of the 3G obligation in train traffic at the end of November.
"In less than one percent of all cases, passengers had to leave the trains, the acceptance of the new 3G rules on board the trains is still very high," announced the group.
At Christmas time this year, the railway increased its capacities again.
Around 100 special trains were therefore in use.
mmq / dpa
