Overview
- On Sunday Transport Minister Steffen Bilger announced he will link Deutsche Bahn board bonuses to targets set by the federal government and is preparing a new financing agreement that makes infrastructure payments conditional on meeting those targets.
- Deutsche Bahn’s long‑distance punctuality has fallen sharply, with roughly 60 percent of trains on time in the first half of 2026 and some routes such as Hamburg–Berlin reporting punctuality as low as about 25.8 percent.
- Bilger’s proposal has won broad support from parties and passenger groups who say managers should be held to account, while several politicians stressed the state must also ensure sufficient and well‑directed investment.
- Key details remain unresolved, including how ‘punctuality’ will be measured (for example whether delays count from three or six minutes), whether cancellations will be treated as delays, and what contractual enforcement will prevent statistical gaming.
- The policy comes as Deutsche Bahn reported a first‑half surplus near €147 million and rising passenger numbers, raising pressure to translate large renovation spending into real service gains for travelers.