From 2028, competitors of Deutsche Bahn (DB) plan to enter the long-distance rail market in Germany. The head of the Railway and Transport Workers' Union (EVG), Martin Burkert, warned that they would "cherry-pick" and only offer attractive rail connections such as between Berlin and Munich.
If politicians still want long-distance rail connections for smaller cities such as Norddeich or Cottbus, they would need to create the right framework conditions for this. He expects Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) "to take control."
Deutsche Bahn currently operates a "mixed calculation", it offers long-distance services on heavily used routes as well as on barely used ones, Burkert told journalists on Friday. "From 2028, that will be over." Deutsche Bahn will also need to make money. Burkert proposed requiring new competitors to commit to package solutions: anyone wanting to book attractive routes would also have to offer less popular connections.
In 2028, Italian operator Italo plans to enter the German market with 30 trains. DB competitor Flixtrain intends to offer services with 65 new trains. Austria's Westbahn will also enter the market, according to Burkert. "We are expecting 100 competitor trains." Deutsche Bahn currently operates around 400 ICE trains.
For rail passengers in large cities, the future offerings of DB's competitors may have advantages, "but most customers will then first have to figure out how to get to the nearest long-distance stop, because their city will no longer be served."
The Federal Association for Regional Rail (Bundesverband Schienennahverkehr) also described more long-distance services from new operators such as Italo as a "danger" to regional transport provision on Friday. "The coordinated local and regional rail services, which are geared towards connecting services, serve essential public provision and must therefore be protected from displacement by even more long-distance connections," the association demanded.
It accused DB Infrago, Deutsche Bahn's infrastructure subsidiary, of refusing to make use of the legal options provided under existing legislation to protect local rail services.
DB Infrago must use the scope provided under the Railway Regulation Act to protect local rail timetables, the association demanded. It must anchor these protections in its usage conditions. "It must be ensured that coordinated regional rail passenger services are given priority in track conflicts, so that we can maintain services and guarantee essential public provision across the country."
Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla recently called for "new and better political framework conditions." Otherwise, she warned, there was a risk of "uncontrolled competition whose consequences could ultimately prove negative for the majority." The bottleneck in Germany is not competition but infrastructure, Palla said. EVG chief Burkert also lamented that there has been barely any expansion or new construction of rail connections for decades.
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