German punctuality derailed: bonuses for executives in the crosshairs

German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger announced his intention to link bonuses for Deutsche Bahn executives to performance targets, primarily punctuality. This comes amid ongoing delays and criticism of executive pay. The goal: 70% punctuality by 2029, while in the first half of the year it stood at about 60%. On the Berlin-Hamburg line, only 25.8% of trains arrived on time.

German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger announced his intention to more directly link bonuses for Deutsche Bahn executives, the national railway company, to meeting performance targets set by the government, primarily improving punctuality. The move comes amid a persistent crisis in the German rail network and public criticism of executive pay. According to a report in Die Welt, the transport ministry seeks to incorporate binding performance targets into a future agreement on government funding for rail infrastructure. Bilger said that if targets are not met, there will be a real impact on bonus payments. He described the current figures as "completely unsatisfactory" and noted that a 100% rate is unrealistic. The goal is to achieve a punctuality rate of 70% for long-distance intercity trains by 2029; in the first half of the year, the figure stood at about 60%. A striking example: on the Berlin-Hamburg line, between mid-June and mid-July, only 25.8% of trains arrived on time. The line, about 280 km long, is closed for ten months from August 2025 to June 2026 for a comprehensive renovation costing about 2.7 billion euros, compared to an earlier estimate of 2.2 billion. Deutsche Bahn explained that some delays are due to unfinished works, and a company spokesperson said that software updates are expected to bring improvement in the coming weeks.