German stations top Europe’s worst punctuality rankings, delays plague commuters
A new European Railway Index places every German city at the bottom for on-time performance, with nearly half of trains delayed and average waits almost twice the European norm.
According to the latest European Railway Index, German train stations rank lowest in punctuality across the continent, filling the bottom ten positions. Delay frequencies exceed 70% in Dortmund (73.8%) and Cologne (71.5%), and even the busiest hubs record long waits: Berlin Central and Frankfurt see roughly 15-minute delays, Hamburg nearly 25 minutes, and Berlin about 20 minutes. Deutsche Bahn’s internal figures echo the poor performance, with long-distance services falling short of schedule.
The operator attributes the problem to aging tracks and delayed modernization, citing late reopenings on routes such as Hamburg-Berlin and Regensburg-Nürnberg. In response, DB chief Evelyn Palla announced a reduction in annual construction projects, which may extend the overall upgrade timeline beyond the 2036 target. Competition from newcomers like Italo and Flixtrain is expected to increase pressure for improvement.
Why it matters
Persistent train delays affect millions of commuters and highlight challenges in Germany’s rail infrastructure modernization.
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