Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) is increasing pressure on the leadership of Deutsche Bahn (German Rail). In response to the continuous punctuality crisis and criticism regarding large financial payments, the minister announced that tangible consequences will be imposed on executive salaries.
Speaking to Bild am Sonntag, Bilger stated that if the goals set by the federal government are not met, there will be a concrete impact on the bonus payments of Bahn managers. He believes that rail customers and taxpayers should have the right to see performance truly measured. Although the minister acknowledged that many employees at the railway perform “very good work,” he also asserted that insufficient performance will affect compensation.
The federal government is currently preparing a new funding agreement with the state-owned corporation. This agreement will precisely regulate how many billion euros are allocated to rail infrastructure, and these funds will be tied to specific requirements in the future.
At the same time, the Minister cautioned against overly optimistic expectations for a rapid improvement in long-distance travel punctuality. Bilger noted that the agreed target for long-distance transport is currently 70 percent until 2029. He emphasized that while local transport is significantly more punctual, the punctuality goal is specifically focused on long-distance travel. The Minister views complete punctuality as unrealistic, confirming that “100 percent will not be achieved in the foreseeable future.”
