Germany’s Deutsche Bahn rail operator final yr paid out virtually €197 million ($214 million) in compensation for delays and cancellation, the state-owned firm reported in Berlin on Sunday.
Round 6.9 million claims have been submitted over the course of the yr. In 2023, 5.6 million claims resulted in payouts totalling €132.8 million.
Chatting with the mass-circulation Bild newspaper, an organization spokesman mentioned: “If a practice has been delayed, and our passengers are entitled to compensation, we pay this out with out argument. And lengthy delays result in excessive compensation funds.”
Based on state-owned Deutsche Bahn, 80% of delays have been all the way down to ageing and overloaded infrastructure.
Greater than a 3rd of long-distance rail companies have been unpunctual final yr, with 37.5% of arrivals delayed by greater than 5:59 minutes. The determine implied the worst punctuality ranking in not less than 21 years.
The spokesman famous ongoing refurbishment work. Deutsche Bahn plans thorough refurbishment on 41 high-traffic corridors by 2030.
“DB goals to boost the punctuality of its long-distance categorical companies to 75% to 80% by the top of 2027,” the spokesman mentioned.
