Deutsche Bahn records a loss of 2.4 billion euros in 2023

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn posted a loss of 2.4 billion euros last year, the company announced on Thursday.

The heavy losses come amid ongoing strikes, major construction projects and rising costs across all sectors.

Deutsche Bahn also said that almost a third of trains were delayed in 2023, down from the previous year.

More passengers, less turnover

Although the number of passengers increased by 5.8% to 1.8 billion, the railway’s turnover fell by 13% to around 45.2 billion euros.
This reduction was attributed to the normalization of freight costs, which affected the subsidiary DB Schenker.

Deutsche Bahn also attributed its losses to advance payments for major infrastructure projects, which are expected to be reimbursed by the German government during the current year.

The rail operator spent €7.6 billion of its own funds last year to cover urgently needed upgrades to its struggling network. It plans to completely renew 40 central railway lines by 2030.

Strikes and delays

Deutsche Bahn also said that 64% of long-distance trains arrived on time in 2023, a drop compared to 65.2% in 2022.

A train is considered on time if it is less than six minutes late.

These delays were caused by a number of factors, including overloaded routes, renovations to sections of the network and violent worker strikes.

Deutsche Bahn now aims for a punctuality rate of 70% and a return to profitability again this year.

zc/rc (dpa, Reuters, AFP)

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