Deutsche Bahn

While SNCF refuses to offer its competitors' services on SNCF Connect (see box), the railway company is opening up to international travel by allowing passengers to book German and Swiss trains on its platform, following agreements with Deutsche Bahn and CFF, the Swiss Federal Railways. This partnership...

German Railways, Deutsche Bahn, has introduced a new last-minute fare offer aimed at flexible travellers and those who change their mode of transport at the last minute. Thus, since 9 May, passengers have been able to book "Last Minute Saver" tickets on long-distance routes...

From 7 September 2026, Deutsche Bahn, in partnership with Brussels Airlines, will launch its new high-speed rail link between Brussels Airport and Cologne. The link will offer passengers fast and direct access to the more than 180 destinations served by the Belgian airport. The first train will leave Cologne on 7 September at...

Deutsche Bahn (DB) makes the headlines more often for its delays than for improvements to its network. Nevertheless, the 2026 timetable, which comes into force on 14 December, will include a number of innovations. One of the most important is the expansion of the range of long-distance high-speed trains. These trains will serve 21 cities...

Rail projects are multiplying in Europe. These include a future direct line between London and Berlin. An agreement to this effect was signed on 17 July between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Under the terms of the agreement, the two governments will work together to remove the legal and logistical obstacles...

Richard Lutz, the boss of Deutsche Bahn (DB), is being pushed out because of the German rail company's recurring problems with train punctuality. The company has come under fire from users, but also from the German government, which has opted for this radical decision...

84.3% of trains arriving on time. Deutsche Bahn can only dream of this figure: it was the figure 20 years ago, in 2004. Two decades later, the German rail company's record on train punctuality is appalling: 62.5% of ICE (high-speed) and IC trains arrived on time...

We know that Deutsche Bahn is facing enormous difficulties in ensuring the punctuality of its trains. This is confirmed by a recent ranking by Transport & Environment (T&E), which analyses the performance of 27 European rail operators. DB is ranked 23rd out of 27. One piece of good news is the reopening on 14 December of the...

This was a demand from business travellers who wanted cheaper rail fares that were nevertheless more flexible than the traditional "Sparpreis" reduced fares. This demand has been recognised by Deutsche Bahn (DB), which is launching a new offer, Sparpreis Business, on 1 January. Admittedly, passengers using the Sparpreis Business will only have to use the...

With its mid-December timetable change, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be offering more international train journeys. The range of services is up by 25% compared with 2019. This means more than 330 daily journeys linking Germany directly to twelve neighbouring countries. One of the highlights is the new daily ICE service linking Paris to Berlin via Strasbourg....

July sees the start of the major modernisation of Deutsche Bahn (DB). The delay in modernising the network over the last two decades has had an increasing impact on the German rail company's service. Punctuality has deteriorated considerably over the last few years. The company has therefore committed itself to achieving the following targets by 2030...

The latest strike action on German trains, two weeks after the previous one, is taking place against a backdrop of extremely tense social conditions. Deutsche Bahn is in open conflict with the GDL (Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer) union, which is calling on its members to go on strike from 24 January. The strike is due to end...

Deutsche Bahn had hoped for a last-minute miracle following the announcement of a general train strike from 10 to 12 January by the GDL railway workers' union. DB had twice appealed to the Labour Court (Arbeitsgericht) in Frankfurt to prevent the strike. The court rejected Deutsche Bahn's injunction to...

Hamburg-Copenhagen in 2.5 hours by 2029, compared with over 4.5 hours today. Dresden-Prague in one hour after 2040, compared with 2? hours today. Deutsche Bahn (DB) is investing heavily in the modernisation of its international lines. Denmark closer to the European continent The most advanced project, however, is the line that will link Hamburg to Copenhagen via...

This Tuesday morning, just before 10.45am, the first night train from Berlin arrived at Gare de l'Est in Paris after a ten-year interruption, only fifteen minutes late. This new Nightjet train, operated by Austrian Railways (ÖBB) in partnership with SNCF, is...

It's a done deal for Deutsche Bahn. With the start of the winter timetable on 10 December, the German national railway company is increasing its flexible fares by 4.9%. However, this increase is still less than the rate of inflation in Germany, which currently stands at 6%. In addition to its 'Flex' fares, the 4.9% increase also applies to BahnCard season tickets...

There was no doubt about it for the German and French authorities. The creation of a direct TGV line between Paris and Berlin is seen as a major step towards a European railway system, one of the major assets in the decarbonisation of the continent. Except that the controversy has focused on the route to be taken...

Deutsche Bahn (DB) is promising its users an even more intuitive application from November this year. Stefanie Berk, Head of Marketing and Distribution at DB Fernverkehr, explains: "DB Navigator has become a basic digital service for travellers, whatever the type of traffic. We are continuing...

Then there were the German conservatives of the CDU and CSU. Then the Federal Court of Auditors. And on Monday 24 April, the Monopolies Commission. All three are making the same demand: fundamental reforms to the structure of Deutsche Bahn, including a possible break-up. "In the opinion of the Monopolies Commission, the...

On Monday 27 March, Germany is preparing for a total strike across all transport services. The strike will affect trains, airports and even motorway companies. It's a situation reminiscent of what's happening in France, and one that the German Airports Association (ADV) is quick to point out, with talk of an escalation in the...