While Germans are so famous for their punctuality that it has become part of the national identity, Deutsche Bahn, the symbol of cutting-edge technology, regularly disappoints passengers who place a premium on punctuality.
Where modern technology and delay go hand in hand
Niclas Fullkrug, the striker of the German national team, encountered a funny situation when he decided to take a high-speed train to attend a photo shoot promoting the German national team before EURO 2024. Although he left early to ensure he was on time, the constant delay announcements on the train made him arrive much later than expected.
The subway system is said to be deteriorating.
He had left early to ensure he was on time, but this may sound counterintuitive, but the truth is that Fullkrug took the "high-speed train", and the end result was that he still arrived "much later" than expected. Fullkrug was not worried about leaving early. On the 500 km journey, he had to constantly listen to the announcement of the late station from the train's loudspeaker. More importantly, the overcrowding was not the main reason for that.
Train delays worry many people and affect German culture.
Germany, a country famous for its discipline and punctuality, is facing a paradox: its train system, a symbol of modern technology, is often unstable. This gap between ideal and reality has raised many questions about the quality of public services in a developed country.
German railways from pride to worry
Deutsche Bahn was considered one of the factors contributing to the success of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The high-speed rail system then operated smoothly thanks to a moderate flow of international tourists, especially from outside Europe. But EURO 2024 is a different story, as Deutsche Bahn will now have to transport people from 23 other European countries to Germany.
Some station areas and tracks cannot be used during the upgrade period.
The Deutsche Bahn disaster began on June 14, the opening day of EURO 2024. A surge in passengers on all journeys brought the entire German rail system to a standstill. Local authorities informed stations of the prospect, but they were unable to alleviate the situation.
Germany is one of the countries with the most developed railway network in the world. According to statistics from the German Ministry of Transport, the country's railway system has a total length of about 32,000 km, equivalent to 4/5 of the Earth's circumference. But about half of them are railway lines that are more than 70 years old and cannot be expanded or upgraded in the near future.
Germany’s crisscrossing network of aging rail lines means high-speed trains are forced to slow down on the network. With the demand for passenger and freight trains growing, Deutsche Bahn has become increasingly sluggish. Delays of up to several hours are becoming more common.
Official statistics from the German Ministry of Transport show that less than two-thirds of trains in Germany arrived on time in June 2024. The figures in Austria and France were 94% and 87%, respectively. In terms of root causes, the main reason why Germany cannot upgrade its old railway system is a lack of investment capital. The German government privatized the national railway company three decades ago, but was unable to attract private investment. The government can only roll up its sleeves to a certain extent, amid a series of more urgent problems.
The railway lines are more than 70 years old and cannot be expanded or upgraded in the near future.
According to the German government's estimates, it will take around 40 billion euros to upgrade the entire aging railway system. This money will come from the federal budget, combined with money from each state. Around 40 "peak" areas have been chosen for the first upgrade, which will include repairing old infrastructure, as well as building new parallel rail systems.
During the period when many of Deutsche Bahn's stations and tracks are being upgraded, the German government has warned that congestion could worsen. This is because some stations and tracks cannot be used during the upgrade period. This will cause traffic to continue to increase through the old infrastructure, leading to increased delays.
