Deutsche Bahn cancels 8% of long-distance trains in early 2026
Deutsche Bahn cancelled about 8% of its long-distance services in early 2026, a rise of three percentage points from the previous year.
Figures released by the German Ministry of Transport indicate that Deutsche Bahn cancelled roughly 8% of its scheduled long-distance trains in early 2026, either partially or entirely, marking a three-point increase compared with the same period last year. The only period with a higher cancellation share was the first half of 2024, when strikes caused a 12% cancellation rate. Since taking over as CEO in October 2025, Evelyn Palla has promised to raise punctuality and service quality.
DB Regio’s Harmen van Zijderveld told reporters that passengers should notice better on-time performance in the second half of the year as ongoing track refurbishment projects conclude. Greens politician Matthias Gastel called on the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition to provide additional investment rather than allowing cancellations to climb. DB estimates it will need substantial state funding to restore service standards.
