Debt, investment, Tardiness : Deutsche Bahn won't be on the Track

High levels of investment and debt, falling profits and the persistent lack of Punctuality in long-distance transport of Deutsche Bahn (DB). Be careful of the Board Richard Lutz, therefore, farewell to rail policy objectives formulated by the Federal government as the owner in the coalition agreement.

Lutz no longer in a doubling of passenger numbers by 2030 is possible – despite a year of rising customer numbers. This he said on Wednesday at the annual press conference in Berlin. One reason: The DB to the capacity limit, the purchase of new trains, as well as the New construction and Expansion of the ailing infrastructure need for more time.

for years, have promised a shift of freight traffic from road to Rail remains an unfulfilled desire. Instead, the loss-making freight train DB Cargo is losing market share, the loss doubled to 200 million Euro.

in 2019, the DB trusts even less profit to operating than in the previous year, it is expected to fall from 2.1 to 1.9 billion euros. Below the line, in 2018, only 542 million euros were left – almost 30 percent less than in the previous year. The dividend to the Federal government in the amount of 650 million euros, to be returned to the company for investment in the infrastructure, can't afford the DB completely. At the same time, the debt to almost 20 billion euros, those brand that has defined the owner as a reasonable rise – despite higher grants from the Federal.

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in order to be "Better – this is our goal," says Lutz. We are on a good path. The railway was, however, in a "decisive Phase" in the course for the future should be. The state-owned rail group, but need time and more money.

"bottleneck elimination is not happening, unfortunately, on the night," says the rail-head with a view to the lack of punctuality. In 2018 and every fourth long-distance train was late, to the Annoyance of many of the 148 million customers in the past year. 2019, the punctuality rate is expected to rise at least to 76.5 percent.

rail chief Lutz speaks of the "growing pains"

pain is The "growth", of which Lutz with views of the figures speaks, again, to be temporarily a sale of the British foreign subsidiary Arriva mitigated. The Supervisory Board had appointed the Board the previous day, to consider a sale or IPO.

Lutz and chief financial officer Alexander Doll are optimistic that the profitable Arriva can also be used in the case of a hard Brexit still 2019 successfully placed with investors. Estimates of sales proceeds of up to four billion euros.

< a Brexit may also use the international freight forwarding company Schenker, which developed in 2018 could well benefit. More red tape in cross-border traffic meant that we could offer the customers more Service, said Doll.

literally, The largest construction site of the railway infrastructure. Up to 800 construction sites, and more are distributed at times over the more than 30,000-kilometre-long rail network, because train tracks, switches, signalling systems, or bridges need to be replaced. "The capacity will remain the Central theme in the next few years," said Richard Lutz.

Board of Directors Pofalla remains in the case of Stuttgart 21 left

In the coming years, the Federal government plans to invest one billion more than in the past in the redevelopment of the network. The railway is mainly for staff (22.000 settings in the current year), and vehicles money. Overall, the Federal government (€7.2 billion) and rail (four billion euros) to invest in the current year more than eleven billion euros in 2018, it had been more than ten billion euros.

Pointedly left the infrastructure management Board Ronald Pofalla gave himself – also with a view to the expensive large-scale construction site at the train station Stuttgart 21. "In peace lies strength – and happy to stay," jokes the former Chancellery Minister. Reports of rising costs in Stuttgart were speculative and would have to do with the reality. The "total value amount" will be adhered to, said Pofalla.

This cost forecast had increased the railway at the beginning of 2018 to 7.7 billion euros. In addition, a risk buffer of around half a billion euros. At the start of construction, the cost framework with a risk buffer was 4.5 billion euros. The railway can feel at the award of the contract, the construction prices increased significantly, explains Pofalla. "But the existing buffers have been sufficient completely to the increase in the price intercept."

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large construction site of Stuttgart 21, The German railway missing billion

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opposition politicians and environmental groups welcomed the planned Arriva-sale as a Signal that the DB wool on the railway in Germany to focus. Here, the competition is distorted. Matthias Gastel of the Green says, the tense situation of the railway show that there is no fair competition with car, Truck and plane. The Federal government should be abolished, therefore, tax-free kerosene and Diesel subsidies. The traffic club Germany requires this, and calls in return, the investment in the rail network to double.