Overview
- Deutsche Bahn has launched an independent experts commission called 'Robuster Fahrplan' to examine whether fewer long-distance services would raise punctuality and how many trains the current network can sustainably carry.
- The commission is due to begin work on 3 November and will be supported by Swiss timetable specialist SMA und Partner AG while drawing on industry and political figures including Enak Ferlemann.
- DB cites sharp capacity strains as the reason for the review, saying more than 10% of trains in 2025 ran on lines with over 115% utilization, stau-related delays rose about 150% in ten years, and long-distance punctuality fell to roughly 52.4% in September.
- Experts will study short-term operational options and medium-term constraints and will deliver recommendations in early 2027 that require joint evaluation and approval by DB management, the federal government and the Länder before any timetable cuts are implemented.
- Any move to thin services would directly affect passengers through fewer departures on busy corridors and could shift traffic planning for freight and regional services, while underlining the need for sustained infrastructure investment and clearer political oversight of DB InfraGO.