Despite a record number of construction sites, Deutsche Bahn aims to noticeably improve the punctuality of long‑distance services this year. Philipp Nagl, head of the infrastructure division DB InfraGo, announced that the punctuality rate should rise to 60 percent.
The figure has often hovered around 50 percent in recent years. “Passengers feel the improvement wherever we’ve heavily built” Nagl told Bild am Sonntag. “My goal is that we do not fall further below the 60 percent punctuality level this year. In 2026 we need to stabilize punctuality and lay the foundation for noticeable improvements in the years to come”.
The manager also acknowledged that progress on the rail network can’t happen overnight. The railway company reports that about 26,000 construction sites are planned nationwide for 2026, roughly 2,000 more than the previous year.
Nagl has indicated a timely completion for a major project: the central corridor between Berlin and Hamburg is expected to be finished by the end of April 2026 as scheduled.
