I am putting together a 6 week trip throughout Germany starting the last week of October. But I keep hearing about problems with Deutsche Bahn. For those who are in Germany or who have ridden DB recently, just how bad are the problems?
My entire trip relies on trains. It starts in Berlin goes down to Munich and then up through the Rhine valley with numerous stops in between.
Basically not nearly as a bad as the press they currently get.
Yes, trains are often late, but they run enough trains that you can be sure that you will always make it to your destination.
Frank, one thing I did when I was using quite a few DB trains last summer, on the advice of Man in Seat 61 or Dave here on the Forum was lengthen the amount of time I asked the site to look for me for transfer times
I think the recommendation was to lengthen it to 30 minutes but not sure.
Putting some meat on the bone of drama stories you asked for: here are the punctuality numbers of DB from August 2023.
As you can see regional trains RE and RB (tab DB Regio) are more often in time than long-distance trains ICE, IC and EC (tab DB Fernverkehr). 70% of these need to pass at least one construction site on their route.
Some weeks and days before a journey you can look here for changes due to construction and maintenance works.
Backups are FlexTrain, FlexBus and also regional providers.
Btw: Some of the relatively new responsible train conductors are trained for communicating delays in an entertaining way when they worked some years for Air Berlin before.
Most of the problems I’ve had are with ICE trains being delayed, sometimes cancelled. This has been a problem for me mainly on the Rhine corridor, but also Zurich-Munich. I’ve had fewer issues in northern Germany and Berlin area, but maybe just lucky. I therefore try to avoid short connections or connections at all if possible, but not always an option. Generally yes, you get where you’re going in the end, but it can still be a pain and sometimes it’s without the seat you reserved….
The other issue I have repeatedly experienced in the last year or so is overcrowded trains, especially on weekends. This has been on both ICE and regional lines. Don’t know if this is due to the discount tickets or just high demand or a combination, but it has made for some very uncomfortable rides. It has also led to delays - recently we sat in Mannheim station for half an hour while they begged people to get off and take the next train due to overcrowding. Eventually the offer of compensation convinced enough people, but then the rest of us were delayed getting to our destination. I missed my connection and got home two hours later than expected. Not the end of the world, but annoying when a 6 hour journey with luggage becomes 8.
Overall DB does seem to have more issues than in the past, but still a good way to get around. Try to travel off peak when you can and make sure you check into planned track works and other technical issues along your intended routes.
I would not purposely lengthen the connection times (as Seat61 suggests). Sod's Law says that when you plan assuming trains will be delayed they will actually end up being on time, and you end up just wasting time.
When you miss a connection due to a delay you can just take the next train anyway. So you do not need to a priori plan on taking the next train...
I agree with Hopper18: the Rhine corridor is especially bad, and particularly so along the Frankfurt-Mannheim-Basel axis. I've had nothing but trouble there lately. Nothing that would actually prevent me from reaching my destination, but several unplanned delays and even some routing changes.
I have not had problems in my trip to Bavaria a year ago, and I have no relevant recent experience in other parts of Germany.
Not great-but not as bad as Amtrak. If you have to be in a certain place at a fixed time it might be an issue.
I took DB ICE trains and one was cancelled so I just took the next one that got me in Munich 2 hours later.
My Munich train was a half hour late.
So none were on time but in the end I got to my destination. I would still use the train full stop but make sure to not have any important activities on the day of travel. I also encourage you to get the DB app which shows delays and gates before you get to the station.
My recent experience has maybe 1 in 10 being on time. One case - 15 minutes late, then 25, 45, 70 mimutes late. Then Cancelled. Reason given ? train repair. What repair could they have possibly thought could be done in 15 minutes ? The only on time ones seem to be those that are baically shuttles, e.g. Mainz to Wiesbaden
I ride trains on the already discussed Basel/Frankfurt axis daily, and on this stretch...one should frankly expect and plan for delays, on both distance and regional trains.
In general, I agree with what others have said: the system will eventually get you where you are going, but it might take rather longer. Also, I think this all might be more complex for people who do not speak German/are not familiar with the system. Not all of the announcements about unroutine delays are made in English, and it simply becomes more complex. So, if you are on a train with delays and have questions about what is going on, simply make sure to ask people near you to make sure you have the information you need.
We took several trains in Germany this summer. The Hamburg - Copenhagen train had several cars with no air conditioning. These cars were eventually closed and the occupants told to spread themselves out to other cars or were given the option of getting off the train at an intermediate station and taking the next train that came through. I couldn't find an unlocked bathroom. There were probably some, but I checked at least 4 cars. We were in 1st class - no bathrooms. Train ran late.
Our departure station in Hamburg was changed from Hauptbanhof to Altona. Somehow, I didn't get a text or email message despite having a Deutsche Bahn account. Luckily, I had checked the departure on the Deutsche Bahn site the night before our departure where I discovered that our train didn't exist, but one with the same number from Altona did. That was a bit confusing to say the least. My advice - double and triple check the schedules and don't rely on messages from Deutsche Bahn.
Totally agree with Azra’s post above.
We’ve had several delays and cancellations, but because we did not understand German and how the overall train system worked, it created some additional stress. We booked a train from Koblenz to Luxembourg. Apparently, the train was cancelled and another train was provided, but we needed to chase down the train engineer to figure it out. You will eventually get to your destination and the cities are worth the hassle.
In light of recent geopolitical happenings, it's not surprising that service levels have dropped off. Funding issues are part of it, I understand. I don't think Germany's problems are unique. Nothing seems to work as well as it did a decade ago here in my country, that's for sure. Airline issues have been awful lately. Personal data security is way way down. Fast food has become dreadfully slow. The disruptions of the Covid shutdowns appear to have negatively impacted most operations of all sorts everywhere, and Germany was hardly immune. The war in Ukraine, along with previous influxes of immigrants and refugees, has helped drive the foreign-born population to a 27% share of Germany's residents, which no doubt adds some measurable level of stress to housing, education, and of course transportation infrastructure. There's just a whole lot to deal with right now, wherever you look. Whatever I involve myself in today, I don't expect anyone to be doing their job well, I don't expect anyone to care about good service, and I don't expect anything but outcomes that are worse than they were before.
Every single train I have been on whether an RB (regional local) or ICE has been late. Every. Single. One. Of. Them since September 19 when I arrived at FRA.
The worst were two day trips I took from Iserlohn. One was to Aachen on a Thursday and one was to Münster this past Saturday. To Aachen, the train was 75 minutes late. From Aachen it was 2 1/2 hours late even though it left Aachen precisely on time. Needless to say, I missed my connection in Hagen to get the Iserlohn train. The Münster train was 35?minutes late arriving into Münster and one hour and 45 minutes late returning — once again I missed my connection this time at Schwerte. I was lucky though. I got a seat without reserving one. That train was packed with people including children standing and sitting in the aisle.
If your rail itineraries include connections, you better plan in case you miss them and have back ups. My connection times were 20 to 25 minutes. I had no idea how foolish that was. My trip this morning from Gateway Gardens on the Sbahn which is one stop from Frankfurt Airport to Heidelberg was not without incident. I got to the platform for the S Bahn 25 minutes before my original train as I have a choice of S8 & S9 trains to Frankfurt HBF where I change transfer an ICE to Heidelberg. No train came for 40 minutes. I did make my connection. Knowing this, I’m taking a taxi to the airport tomorrow to catch my plane home. I had no intention of doing this, but I can’t take the risk.
A Tidbit that I hope might help you. If you don’t speak fluent German, make sure you have access to the DB app because platforms at the very last minute could change and those changes may not be posted on a board as I experienced at least twice.. If I had not been looking at the app, I would’ve missed those two trains. One of which was today at Heidelberg as there was a last-minute change of platform.
I would not purposely lengthen the connection times
You might not, but I was very glad I did. It ensured that I made a couple of connections that I would have missed otherwise.
That in turn meant that I made it from Paris to Copenhagen, and then Copenhagen to Paris on the trains I had hoped/planned for.
Sorry to hear all these stories about late trains. I will be traveling from Berlin to Munich in December on a Wednesday. Are the earlier times less impacted by delays than the ones later in the day (like airlines.)
I wanted to mention how much we have enjoyed (and saved) using the D ticket. Have you considered this?
Are the earlier times less impacted by delays than the ones later in the day (like airlines.)
In around 50% of cases yes but in a different logic compared to airlines. It is more the delayed train before in the network - not the same train coming in late and going out late at final destination. Backup trains are often available if one train is failing or coming in very too late to start new connection on time. See details for delay reasons of Bahn on this page in German language with animations.
Thanks for all the information. I'm trying to plan my routing with as few connections as possible.
Frank II, I am at the gate awaiting boarding for my flight to JFK. In spite of the DB hassles, I have loved this trip as I love being in Germany. That you now know that there are issues may help with your planning and I hope you have a great vacation.
I, and my relatives, often travel by train between Belgium and Switzerland via Germany. The route goes via the delay prone Rhine corridor.
However in about 3/4 of the cases arrival was at the expected time, with no connections missed. In about 1/4 there was a half hour or hour delay on arrival. So it actually usually goes well.
If the delays, break-down (yes, took place too from Ingolstadt), or cancellations are not happening to you personally, it is happening to some one else. Look at the electronic boards to see who is impacted., listen to announcements on the platform to hear how often the delays are taking place. You just might luck out but not the other guy whose train may be 15 mins to 40 mins late.
The German family of 4 adults who decided to share my table at dinner in this restaurant in Vienna said that among Germans DB is "miserable." I noticed right away she opted for the French word to describe.
Luckily, not every one of my train rides in Germany this summer was late, some were, eg, Frankfurt to Koblenz transferring to Bad Ems was 30 mins late, Morale of the story there is don't use Koblenz as the transfer point for Bad Ems but Limburg an der Lahn, much easier, Salzburg to Mannheim was 14 mins. late. I just factored in a longer-lay-over time than I usually do.
I was in Germany over the last fortnight and had repeated delays to trains I was travelling on. Judging by the state of departure boards at major stations, there are regularly big issues with long-distance services.
I was on a few DB trains earlier this month. Most were on time (Frankfurt to Bamberg with one connection, don't remember where) and Bamberg to Berlin. The train from Berlin to Cologne was a little over an hour late, which ate into our 90 minute connection time but we were still able to catch our onward train.
Some of the trains had spotless bathrooms, but a couple were terribly dirty. Most had adequate air conditioning but one of them was so hot that it was not pleasant.
I will also point out that the popularity of the 49Euro ticket has impacted train ridership numbers and DB wasn't prepared for. Basically, the decision seems to have been made without realizing the impact the influx of passengers would have on the transport network. I notice they are increasing the cost of the ticket for next year which leads me to wonder if they hope that less people will use the ticket.
But as I've said. Going point to point w/o transfers and allowing adequate time will be the best bet.
As for Germans complaining, it is their national pastime.
That so many DB trains are late, experiencing delays , ie , more than 15 mins., luckily, not all of my connections were like that this summer but the important connections were delayed. This affects my trip planning for next summer in Germany since the itinerary involves zipping between the north , east , and south, say from Karlsruhe to Greifswald. I have to factor in that delay possibility by being more innovative and creative , ie, tailor my routes as a way to lessen the odds and effects of a late train.
We can be glad that the Germans and the French engage in complaining (bravo !) as a national pastime, all the more so when dealing with their train system.
The Economist newspaper (August 17) included an article 'Germany is becoming expert at defeating itself', blaming bureaucracy and restrictions on borrowing (Schuldenbremse or debt brake) for overcrowded roads, poor rail punctuality, and low broadband internet penetration.
I've rearranged my trip so that there are no connections....so far.
Limiting your connections is a smart move. We’ve taken a number of DB train journeys over the last 3 weeks including ICE, RB and RE. Most have been relatively on time with maybe a 5 or 10 minute delay and we made all of our connections. However, a few of our short connections were challenging. With study and planning we knew exactly which track we were going to, how to get there and we moved fast with our manageable, light luggage.
All of our trains were crowded to literally bursting at the seams. We absolutely needed seat reservations on all of our ICEs.
It has been mentioned above. In the last 24 months (3 trips) we have found 3 restrooms out of order on regional trains and 2 restrooms out of order (and filthy) at train stations (Regensburg and Ingolstadt). Cleaning and repairing restrooms must me unpleasant work. With the 49 euro ticket the use must also being going up. DB needs to hire more cleaning/maintenance folks. It is sort of a side issue until it isn't.
We also had a regional train delayed and then cancelled in April. That was fixed by taking the next train and catching a later connection.
In June I spent 2 nights in Ingolstadt, no experience with the WC at the station. Still, I found the Hbf to be disappointing, spent the full day's trip in Ellingen/Bay.
