Over 6 million rail customers in Germany filed for compensation over delays and cancellations. Germany’s rail operator said old and overloaded infrastructure was to blame.Cars and
Deutsche Bahn pays €197M in compensation for delays in 2024
Jenipher Camino Gonzalez with dpa and Reuters | Natalie Muller editor
Over 6 million rail customers in Germany filed for compensation over delays and cancellations. Germany’s rail operator said old and overloaded infrastructure was to blame.
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) reported on Sunday that it had paid out almost €197 million ($214 million) in customer compensation for delays and cancellations.
Over a third of long-distance rail services by Deutsche Bahn were not punctual in 2024. The company considers a train to be late if it it arrives more than 5:59 minutes after its scheduled time.
Some 37.5% of DB’s arrivals were considered delayed by that target, the worst punctuality rating in at least 21 years.
“If a train has been delayed, and our passengers are entitled to compensation, we pay this out without argument. And long delays lead to high compensation payments,” a company spokesman told German newspaper Bild.
