German minister seeks to link Deutsche Bahn executive bonuses to targets

In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, Bilger stated that failure to meet targets would have a "concrete impact" on executive bonuses. He described the current punctuality figures as "completely inadequate," noting that under the existing agreement, long-distance trains are expected to achieve 70% punctuality by 2029, a slight improvement from the approximately 60% recorded in the first half of this year.

Transport experts attribute Deutsche Bahn's persistent problems to decades of underinvestment in infrastructure, despite increased rail usage, and the company's dual role as a profit-seeking joint-stock company and a public service provider. As the government prepares to invest billions in network overhauls, Bilger expressed determination to improve punctuality, acknowledging that significant improvements will take time.