#deutsche-bahn

#deutsche-bahn

The western German state North Rhine-Westphalia is proposing a new package of measures and is calling on the federal government to strengthen safety on trains ahead of a Deutsche Bahn security summit in Berlin. The state, Germany's most populous, wants to expand the use of two-person teams among train conductors. It is also urging the national government to provide legal clarity for the wearing of body cameras on public transport, which is currently voluntary.

Many bus, trams and underground services in Germany will not be operating on Monday amid a nationwide strike by the trade union Verdi. Millions of employees and schoolchildren who rely on public transport will be forced to find alternative methods of getting to work or school, with wintry weather conditions adding to their problems. All 16 German states bar one, Lower Saxony, where employees have agreed not to strike for now, are to be initially affected by the industrial action, Verdi said.

The vehicles will initially refuel at a mobile hydrogen station installed at the operator's Jever depot. The temporary setup was developed jointly with the Technology Transfer Centre (ttz) Bremerhaven and hydrogen producer Lhyfe to enable immediate fleet deployment. A permanent public station operated by Score is planned for 2026 in the JadeWeserPark in Schortens, positioned to serve both public transport and regional logistics users, Deutsche Bahn points out in a press note.

This year's winter timetable will bring more trains on certain high-traffic routes, a few faster connections and more direct cross-border journeys to destinations in neighbouring countries. With the timetable now in place through mid-October of next year, customers can purchase train tickets for future trips, up to 12 months in advance. So passengers who already know their travel plans for 2026 can secure their rail transport now to take advantage of cheaper prices.

A train driver on the S6 service from Essen noticed to his surprise on reaching the final stop at Cologne-Worringen that three passengers were still loitering in first class. The trio of chickens, who had even been provided an ample layer of straw to peck through, had seemingly either been abandoned or (surely not?) forgotten by whoever brought them aboard.

A train driver on the S6 service from Essen noticed to his surprise on reaching the final stop at Cologne-Worringen that three passengers were still loitering in first class. The trio of chickens, who had even been provided an ample layer of straw to peck through, had seemingly either been abandoned or (surely not?) forgotten by whoever brought them aboard.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has been pushing back on claims that his budget would just fill gaps, saying Germany will invest 126.7 billion (about $150 billion) in infrastructure, schools and hospitals in 2026. Klingbeil told the Bundestag that special funds would be used to secure jobs and boost growth rather than bankroll pet projects.

Starting December 14th, Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the Polish State Railways (PKP) will increase the number of direct trains connecting Germany and Poland, from 11 to 17 daily return journeys, DB has announced. The move comes in response to a clear rise in passenger demand for travel between the neighbouring countries, and is designed to offer travellers more frequent and faster cross-border options.

State-owned German national railroad operator Deutsche Bahn has announced a delay in modernization plans for key routes until 2036, extending the timeline by five additional years.

In 2024, about 64 percent of Deutsche Bahn's long-distance passenger trains reached their destination on time, compared to 93.2 percent in Switzerland.

In 2024, only about 64 percent of DB's long-distance passenger trains reached their destination on time; in Switzerland, the equivalent figure was 93.2 percent.

From June 15th, families in Germany will no longer enjoy discounted seat reservations on Deutsche Bahn, leading to considerably higher travel costs for families.

"DB is one of the best operators when it comes to offering through tickets to/from or across Germany, including connections from Amsterdam to Prague or Zurich to Copenhagen."