Markets and strategy

Demand in passenger and freight transport has increased significantly over the last few years and has led to a higher intensity of use of the rail infrastructure. In the coming years, on the basis of economic development, we expect growth in demand for freight transport and a significantly increased traffic volume in passenger transport, and therefore a further increase in capacity requirements, supported by measures such as, for example, increasing regionalization funds, service expansions in long-­distance rail passenger transport and the reduction of train-­path prices in freight transport.

By developing infrastructure in line with customer and market requirements, we want to enable the entire rail transport sector to take advantage of growth potential. The new Strong Rail strategy 

incorporates DB Netze Track’s strategic topics. DB Netze Track is intending to create the infrastructural and operational requirements for the implementation of a strong rail system as a capacity manager. The objective is to expand network capacity, to digitalize and renew the network, and to improve the use of capacity. DB Netze Track is also striving for the continuous renovation of the existing network and an increase in the performance capability of the organization.

In order to achieve the objectives, DB Netze Track’s strategy comprises the three strategic areas of the Strong Rail strategy:

• DB Netze Track is becoming MORE ROBUST: Through the expansion of infrastructure and new construction and expansion projects, DB Netze Track is striving to increase network capacity in corridors and hubs in order to eliminate existing bottlenecks and to be able to provide the required capacity for supply expansion. As part of the strategy implementation, there is a focus on increasing the quality of the existing network. The aim is to improve the facilities’ quality and profitability. In addition to infrastructural measures, DB Netze Track is striving to establish a new control philosophy as part of capacity management, which focuses on utilization of capacity. In addition to the planned expansion and new construction of infrastructure, DB Netze Track focuses on levers for increasing capacity, such as the more efficient use of track closures during construction activities or the avoidance of overloading usable capacities.

• DB Netze Track is becoming MORE POWERFUL: DB Netze Track is implementing measures that are designed to create the basis for effective and stable processes and to form the most efficient organization possible. In the year under review, the design of a comprehensive, customer-­focused end-­to-­end process was further advanced. All performance and support processes should be customer-­oriented in the future.

• DB Netze Track is becoming MORE MODERN: The measures taken from the more robust strategic area provide a basis for the consequential building blocks from the more modern strategic area. The measures taken by DB Netze Track, for example, provide a basis for achieving the objectives of expanding Germany’s railway network (Germany in sync), thus further promoting the shift in the mode of transport.