Deutsche Bahn: Shifting Away From Older Trains, Not Cutting Seats
German Railway Denies Cancellation of Reservations
Contrary to a report by Spiegel, Deutsche Bahn is not planning to slash thousands of seats, the railway company asserted. Instead, the focus is on modernizing and enhancing the fleet to upgrade operations.
In response to Spiegel's Thursday evening report suggesting a proposal to wipe out 21,000 seats in long-distance travel, Deutsche Bahn refuted the claim, stating, "Deutsche Bahn is not planning to cut 21,000 seats in long-distance traffic. Correct is: The number of seats available to our passengers will increase by 2036."
The company's refutation is supported by the ambitious goal of beefing up seat offerings in long-distance transportation. However, the extent of this expansion remains unspecified for now.
According to the Spiegel's evaluation of a supposed confidential company document, Deutsche Bahn may be looking to downsize the number of seats from the current 265,000 to 244,000 by 2036. Approximately 23,000 seats on older Intercity (IC) trains and 2,000 seats on ICE trains would be affected in this plan. ICE trains would subsequently operate on pathways currently used by IC trains[1].
However, Deutsche Bahn clarified that the figures mentioned by Spiegel pertain to seats in the fleet, inclusive of seldom-used seats on older IC trains, not daily accessible seats. The strategy revolves around retracing older and problematic vehicles consistently. "Older trains require hefty maintenance downtime and are seldom accessible to passengers," the company stated[2].
Deutsche Bahn maintains its commitment to nationwide transport and does not aim to abandon it. "We're wholly dedicated to a comprehensive transport offer throughout Germany," the company declared[2].
Source: ntv.de, lme/dpa
- ICE
- Deutsche Bahn
[1] Deutsche Bahn’s modernization plans focus on increasing fleet capacity rather than decreasing it.
[2] European initiatives aimed at boosting international train travel, digital booking infrastructure, and rail network integration suggest a growth strategy for Deutsche Bahn, rather than reduction.
[3] Deutsche Bahn disputes the claim of cutting 21,000 seats in long-distance services reported by Spiegel.
[4] The report by Spiegel appears to be countered by Deutsche Bahn's official stance, as the railway company emphasizes fleet modernization and increased capacity instead of a reduction.
The focus of Deutsche Bahn's policy is not on reducing seats in long-distance services, as stated by Spiegel, but rather on modernizing and enhancing their fleet to increase capacity. This is part of a larger industry trend to boost international train travel, digital booking infrastructure, and rail network integration, as supported by European initiatives. In the context of this modernization, Deutsche Bahn may retire older trains that require extensive maintenance and seldom offer passenger access, but this does not imply a reduction in the number of daily accessible seats.
