Overview

• Government and media reports say Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has chosen DB Regio chief Evelyn Palla to succeed Richard Lutz, which would make her the first woman to head the group.
• The transport ministry points to a Monday press conference where Schnieder will unveil an owner strategy for a punctual, safe and clean railway and may formally propose the new chief.
• Deutsche Bahn’s supervisory board is scheduled to meet Tuesday to decide on the appointment, and the ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the choice ahead of the event.
• The leadership change comes as long‑distance punctuality hovered around 60% in August and major corridor renovations through 2036, along with heavy construction, continue to depress on‑time performance.
• Financial pressure persists with a roughly €760 million group loss in H1 2025, even as DB Regio under Palla returned to a €103 million operating profit, and unions and industry groups urge multi‑year infrastructure funding and tighter oversight to enable a turnaround.