Overview

• Media and ministry reports indicate Evelyn Palla will succeed Richard Lutz as CEO, pending supervisory board approval expected at meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Schnieder plans to unveil the 'Agenda für zufriedene Kunden auf der Schiene' with tighter owner oversight and a passenger-first focus, with a slimmer executive board and dropped departments under consideration.
• The future setup of network unit DB InfraGo remains under review, while its chief Philipp Nagl continues to oversee the comprehensive renovation of more than 40 heavily used corridors.
• A government spokesman confirms a roughly €2.5 billion shortfall for new and upgraded rail lines through 2029, leaving potential effects on planned projects unclear.
• Passenger advocates and unions warn that thinning timetables or high track charges could mean higher fares and reduced service, pressing for targets that reliably improve punctuality.