After budget cuts
Deutsche Bahn supervisory board rejects cut list for restructuring
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Deutsche Bahn wants to completely renovate its route network, but budget cuts get in the way. There are reports of projects being cut. Supervisory board chairman Gatzer is opposing these. What is planned will be implemented by the end of 2025.
The chairman of the supervisory board of Deutsche Bahn AG, Werner Gatzer, has rejected reports that the company will have to scale back its expansion plans due to government budget cuts. “By the end of next year, we will have enough money for everything we have planned,” he said in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” newspaper, referring to investments in infrastructure.
“Because of the medium-term planning, we are in ongoing discussions with the federal government, the owner, who has clearly committed to the railway, which I am very pleased about.” There is no cut list, but rather a prioritization, with the existing network taking priority in terms of investments.
Gatzer also sees no restrictions on the purchase of new trains. “We have started the procurement and I see no need to back off,” he said. “It will take a while until the new trains are delivered and paid for.” Most recently, Gatzer's deputy on the supervisory board, unionist Martin Burkert, spoke of necessary cuts.
Gatzer also thinks more expensive Deutschlandticket is OK
In the debate about the future of the Deutschlandticket, Gatzer was open to a higher price. “I do think that there has to be an appropriate balance between the service and the service in return,” he said. “That's why I can't understand why some people would turn away from the Deutschlandticket if the ticket were to become more expensive at some point.” In the past, using public transport was significantly more expensive.
Gatzer, the long-standing State Secretary for Budget, left the Federal Ministry of Finance at the turn of the year, but remains Chairman of the Railway Supervisory Board as a representative of the Federal Government.
