Deutsche Bahn intends to improve the punctuality of its services by implementing a targeted reduction in train traffic. An independent expert commission, dubbed “Robust Timetable,” has been commissioned to investigate how this significant reduction can be effectively achieved. The commission’s inaugural meeting is set to take place on November 3rd.
According to reports cited by “Tagesspiegel”, DB made this announcement to members of the German Bundestag’s Transport Committee. Enak Ferlemann, the former government representative for rail transport and a member of the supervisory board of DB InfraGO, commented that the commission aims to provide a frank assessment of the system’s state. “Given the current conditions, too many trains are operating on our tracks,” Ferlemann stated.
Ferlemann indicated that the team’s task will be to analyze the current reality and determine “how many trains can reliably operate” given the existing network infrastructure. The goal is to put forward proposals that enhance punctuality by decreasing the overall volume of traffic. For instance, he cited the possibility of running only one long-distance train between Berlin and Hamburg per hour, provided that service is consistent and reliable.
Ferlemann emphasized that reliability is fundamentally one of the railway’s greatest advantages. However, due to the network’s current state of overload, this advantage has been lost. He asserted that the public would prefer a smaller number of trains, as long as those trains arrive on time.
The railway reinforced the extent of the network overload in the communication sent to Parliamentarians. It noted that in 2025, over ten percent of all trains were running on routes operating above 115% capacity. This overload has led to a continuous increase in congestion delays on German rail lines, which have risen by 150% over the last decade. Furthermore, in September, only 52.4% of all long-distance trains arrived at their destination punctually.
The Swiss firm SMA und Partner AG, a specialist in scheduling, has been contracted to aid the commission in determining the precise capacity limit of the German rail network in its current condition.
