Deutsche Bahn (DB) intends to invest a total of 210 million euros by 2030 in an "XXL cleaning programme" for cleaner stations and trains as well as greater security, according to information obtained by the newspaper "Bild am Sonntag". The existing emergency programme against dirt and vandalism will be extended as a result, the paper reported in an advance release. "Cleaner trains and stations, more security and more comfort should not be the exception, but our new standard," DB chief executive Evelyn Palla told the newspaper.
Among other measures, the number of cleaning staff responsible for toilets on long-distance trains is to be doubled to 220. According to the report, these teams will clean around 52,000 on-board toilets every week. ICE and IC trains are to be cleaned intensively by hand at the Berlin-Rummelsburg works, in a process taking up to ten hours. "The dirt has to go," said Palla.
Deutsche Bahn presented an emergency programme for greater comfort in long-distance services back in February. Using additional cleaning staff and mobile maintenance teams, toilets, carpets and on-board catering were to be kept reliably clean and in working order. Around 20 million euros were initially set aside for that programme. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) had called for the measures as part of his strategy for improving the railway.
According to "Bild am Sonntag", the number of faults affecting on-board toilets has since fallen by 25 percent. A further 44 mobile repair teams are intended to fix damage more quickly. The continued high rate of delays in long-distance services, however, remains unaffected by this.
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