German punctuality has gone off the rails: bonuses for executives are in the crosshairs

Persistent train delays in Germany may soon hurt not only passengers, but also the pockets of executives. German Minister of Transport Stefan Bilger announced today (Monday) that he intends to link the bonuses of Deutsche Bahn executives, Germany's national railway company, more directly to meeting performance targets set by the government, primarily improving punctuality.

"If the targets set by the government are not met, this will have a real impact on the bonus payments of Deutsche Bahn managers," Bilger said in remarks published in the German press.

This move comes against the backdrop of a persistent crisis in the German rail network and public criticism of executive salaries at the company. According to a report in the newspaper Die Welt, the Ministry of Transport is seeking to include mandatory performance targets for managers in a future agreement regarding government funding for rail infrastructure.

Bilger made it clear that he expects a "noticeable improvement" in the rate of trains arriving on time, and described the current figures as "completely unsatisfactory." However, he warned that the problem cannot be solved overnight.

According to the report, the current goal is to reach a 70% punctuality rate for long-distance intercity trains by 2029. In the first half of the year, the figure was only about 60%. The minister noted that a 100% rate is not a realistic goal and is not achieved in other railway systems in Europe either.

According to him, it is also a matter of responsibility to the public: "Train passengers and taxpayers have a right to have success actually measured."

One of the most prominent examples of the crisis was recorded on the main line between Berlin and Hamburg. Despite extensive renovations, between mid-June and mid-July, only 25.8% of long-distance trains arrived on time — a figure reflecting only one out of every four trains.

The line, which is about 280 km long, was closed completely for ten months, from August 2025 to June 2026, for comprehensive renovations. As part of the work, 165 km of tracks and almost 250 switches were renewed, and 28 stations were upgraded. The cost of the project reached about 2.7 billion euros, compared to an initial estimate of 2.2 billion euros.

Deutsche Bahn explained that some of the delays after the line's opening were due to work that had not yet been completed and continued to restrict train traffic. A company spokesperson said that software updates to signaling systems are expected to bring about a "noticeable improvement" in the coming weeks.