Overview
- CEO Evelyn Palla declared 2026 the year of a major restructuring, with a detailed plan due in December and implementation starting January 1.
- Decision-making will move out of headquarters, giving regional leaders more authority, resources and accountability for operations and results.
- Palla signaled significant reductions in central management and a leaner corporate center, with a tighter set of performance metrics modeled on DB Regio’s turnaround.
- Core elements of the existing S3 program will be retained but adapted, including corridor overhauls and financial repairs, with fixed construction windows intended to cut unplanned works from 2027 and full upgrades stretching into the 2030s.
- Near-term measures focus on cleaner, safer stations and more precise travel updates in DB Navigator, while reported leadership changes—including the expected departure of DB Cargo chief Sigrid Nikutta and potential appointments for Regionalverkehr and CFO—await supervisory board approval.