Deutsche Bahn has unveiled a €20 million emergency improvement program aimed at delivering cleaner trains and more reliable onboard catering on long-distance routes. The plan focuses primarily on deploying additional staff and was presented jointly with Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU).
Deutsche Bahn says it will tackle the cleanliness problem primarily through additional personnel. Toilets and carpets on trains will be cleaned more frequently going forward, the rail operator announced on Friday. Coffee machines and toilets will also undergo more regular maintenance. On heavily used routes in particular, more cleaning staff will travel onboard the trains. At selected major hub stations, dedicated special cleaning teams will also be on standby to address issues quickly.
The carpets on long-distance trains will additionally be put through specialist deep-cleaning more regularly, a step aimed at addressing one of the most visible signs of wear on high-frequency routes.
Reliable food and drink availability in onboard bistros and restaurants has been a persistent complaint among Deutsche Bahn passengers. To address this, the rail operator says it will "optimise" its logistics processes to ensure supplies are more consistently available. Coffee availability in particular will be secured through dedicated "mobile maintenance units" tasked with servicing vulnerable components inside the coffee machines before they fail.
"These specialist experts are on call at four hub stations, in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, and Berlin," Deutsche Bahn explained. "In addition to repairs in the onboard bistro, they also ensure that damage in train toilets is resolved quickly and effectively."
The emergency program is not a standalone initiative. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder had demanded the program as part of his broader strategy for Deutsche Bahn, which he outlined in September when he also introduced new DB chief executive Evelyn Palla.
Under that strategy, Deutsche Bahn was required to deliver three separate emergency programs in total. In January, the rail operator already launched its plan for improved safety and cleanliness at stations. A third emergency program, focused on better customer communication, is still to follow.
Deutsche Bahn's long-distance division chief Michael Peterson made a direct pledge to passengers following the announcement. "Passengers will notice: things are happening on long-distance trains," he promised. The measures are estimated to cost around €20 million in total.
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