The punctuality rate of Deutsche Bahn reached a historic low of only 62.5 percent in long-distance traffic in 2024. According to the company, 37.5 percent of the stops were reached with a delay of more than six minutes. Thus, the company fell below the previous lows of 2022 and 2023.

Eighty percent of all delays in long-distance traffic are due to outdated and overloaded infrastructure," a company spokesperson explained. At the same time, the railway points to the ongoing renovation program, which is to include a total of 41 highly frequented corridors by 2030. The first section, the Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim, was completely overhauled in 2024. The aim is to increase punctuality in long-distance traffic to 75 to 80 percent by the end of 2027.

June 2024 was particularly critical: Only 52.9 percent of long-distance trains were on time, attributed to the start of the European Football Championship. Construction sites and extreme weather events such as floods and landslides additionally burdened operations. The consequence: delayed fans and teams, including the Dutch team, which had to switch to a plane due to a two-hour delay.

The construction work will also significantly affect operations in 2025. Starting in August, the Berlin-Hamburg route will be closed for nine months, resulting in detours and additional travel time of at least 45 minutes. Nevertheless, Deutsche Bahn invested approximately 17 billion euros in its infrastructure in 2024 – a record amount intended to reduce susceptibility to disruptions in the long term.

The poor punctuality values not only damage the image of the railway but also lead to high compensation costs. Railway CEO Richard Lutz predicted compensation in the triple-digit million range for 2024.