Germany's DB to spend €12.7 billion on infrastructure
March 5, 2021
The German rail carrier says the money will go to overhauling rails, switches and stations, as well as digital control systems. DB says the work will generate thousands of new jobs.
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Germany's Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced Friday that it would spend €12.7 billion ($15.3 billion) on modernizing its rail network as well as some train stations.
"We're building a new rail network for Germany and we're laying the cornerstone for Deutschlandtakt [DB's new nationwide transportation plan]," said DB Executive Infrastructure Director Ronald Pofalla.
DB says the investment will be put toward modernizing some 1,900 kilometers (1,181 miles) of tracks, 140 bridges and around 2,000 track switches as well as construction work on train stations across the country.
The carrier says it will hire some 2,000 engineers and 1,700 maintenance workers for its modernization plan, as well as adding 20% more building management workers at train stations.
Efforts to minimize travel delays
DB has singled out several instances of infrastructure expansion on existing lines (Nuremberg-Erfurt, Berlin-Dresden, Braunschweig-Wolfsburg) as well as in Cologne, a constant bottleneck in DB's rail network.
Some high-speed rail lines (Hannover-Würzburg, Kassel-Göttingen) will also be overhauled.
The rail carrier claims that its improved ability to control the flow of passenger and cargo rail traffic on its network will allow it to complete work with less interruption and inconvenience to passengers.
The company also plans to improve rail traffic flows further still by increasing its push toward more digitalization.
DB says recent improvements in punctuality can be traced back to better construction site management.
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10 things Germans generally know about trains
Tickets, reservations and train types: Here are 10 basic facts and insider tips about Deutsche Bahn trains, Germany's state railway.
Image: Deutsche Bahn AG
Did you get that?
There's a loudspeaker announcement while you're waiting for a train, but you barely distinguish a single word? The acoustics of any train station are generally bad, so instead of worrying too much about what you've missed, here's a German idiom for the unexceptional occasion: "Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof" — literally, "I only understand train station" — which means you didn't understand a thing.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Recognize different types of trains
Most preschool children know this: The Intercity-Express (ICE) trains are the high-speed stars of the German state railway, Deutsche Bahn. They reach up to 300 kph (186 mph). The Intercity (IC) trains are also white and red, but not quite as modern and fast, traveling at a maximum speed of 200 kph. If you're heading to a smaller town, the (often red) Regionalbahn (RB) is what you're looking for.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Woitas
Not all trains are on time
Despite the stereotypes about German efficiency, train punctuality has been declining, and complaining about how they're late all the time is a small talk topic that unites travelers throughout the country. DB claims that nearly 75 percent of its high-speed trains reached their destination within five minutes of their planned schedule in 2018.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Tschauner
You can't travel for free
A basic principle: Buy your ticket before boarding a train. However, if ever the ticket vending machine is out of order at your station of departure or you don't manage to obtain a ticket before getting on the train, on ICE or Intercity trains you can buy your ticket from the conductor once you're on board. On a RB, you'll be fined for fare evasion, aka "schwarzfahren" (literally: black riding).
Image: Deutsche Bahn AG/P. Castagnola
Travel with a group to save money
Groups of up to five people will find interesting deals for regional train tickets. In some cases, it's already cheaper for two people to buy one such ticket; each additional traveler on the same ticket further reduces the costs, which is why improvised groups of people heading to the same destination often find each other on the platform.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Kalaene
Bikes are a challenge
An increasing number of ICE trains have designated spaces for a limited number of bicycles. On other trains, from the Intercity to the regional ones, there are special wagons for bikes. You'll need an extra ticket to bring one along. Cycling is a popular activity in the summer, so expect a chaotic "first come, first served" struggle to squeeze yours in and out of a regional train on a weekend.
Image: DW/Elizabeth Grenier
Sorry, but that place is mine
A train ticket doesn't come with an allocated seat. Reservations are available at an extra cost on long-distance trains — and they can be overbooked. Indicators usually reveal if a seat has been reserved, but even Germans find "ggf. reserviert" (which means: "it could be reserved") confusing. In any case, the passenger with a reservation is sure to let you know if you're sitting in their place.
Image: Deutsche Bahn AG/O. Lang
Wait at the right spot
While tourists wildly run around looking for the wagon with their reservation once their ICE train comes in, seasoned German travelers are already standing next to the right door. They know there's a useful information system that associates a letter on the platform to the position where each carriage will stand.
Image: DW/Elizabeth Grenier
You don't need to be loud elsewhere either
There are different options when you make a reservation: Do you prefer an aisle seat, at a table or in a smaller compartment? Some areas are conceived for people who prefer it quiet. Avoid making phone calls in the "Ruhebereich," or quiet zone. And even in other areas, no one really wants to listen to you talk loudly on your phone.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/N. Schmidt
Get a special compartment for your children
Parents traveling with their children will find it easier to avoid the quiet zone altogether. On ICE trains, special family compartments are an interesting option — but they need to be booked ahead. Traveling without a reservation? Head to the "Family Zone." Children aged 5 and under travel for free, while those under 15 don't have to pay either, as long as they're accompanied by a paying adult.
Image: Deutsche Bahn AG/O. Oliver Lang
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How much is the state kicking in?
"Things are moving in the right direction," said Dirk Flege, the managing director of the non-profit transport association Pro-Rail Alliance.
"Still, Germany needs more than just a new, more modern rail network. It also needs one that is expanding. The federal government's efforts are lacking in that regard," he cautioned.
Nevertheless, critics say that despite the seemingly massive sum, it likely still will not be enough to finish the job due to years of chronic underfunding.
In January, DB and the German federal government signed a new investment agreement.
The government committed to contribute €62 billion towards maintaining and modernizing DB's rail network between now and 2030, with the state-owned rail company contributing another €24 billion.
Most of the money earmarked for the project (€10.3 billion) will come from Germany's federal and state governments as well as DB.
The remaining €2.4 billion will come from the company's own maintenance budget.