Shift in the mode of transport to rail
Our Strong Rail strategy addresses how rail specifically contributes to achieving the Federal Government’s key transport and climate policy targets. The policy target of shifting the mode of transport from road to rail therefore involves the entire rail sector.
We assume that, after overcoming the slump in demand caused by Covid-19, volume sold and volume produced will develop positively again over the medium and long term. This applies to the entire sector.
Performance figures for rail in Germany (sector) | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
Passengers long-distance transport (million) | 82 | 152 | 149 | |
Intra-Group railways | 81 | 151 | 148 | |
Non-Group railways 1) | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
Passengers local transport (million) | 1,605 | 2,528 | 2,472 | |
Intra-Group railways (adjusted for re-entry) | 1,215 | 1,972 | 1,940 | |
Non-Group railways 1) (not adjusted for re-entry) | 389 | 556 | 532 | |
Volume sold rail freight transport (billion tkm)1), 2) | 121.3 | 129.2 | 130.0 | |
Intra-Group railways | 51.9 | 55.8 | 58.6 | |
Non-Group railways | 69.4 | 73.3 | 71.4 | |
Train kilometers on track infrastructure (million train-path km) | 1,066 | 1,090 | 1,085 | |
Intra-Group railways | 680 | 722 | 736 | |
Non-Group railways 1) | 385 | 368 | 349 | |
Individual figures are rounded and estimated, so they may not add up. Figures for 2018 and 2020 are based on information and estimates available as of February 2021.
1) 2020 data is based on own estimates.
2) Only services as principal freight carrier.
Performance development in rail passenger transport in Germany collapsed significantly in 2020 due to Covid-19. This was the same for DB Group TOCs in regional rail passenger transport and for non-Group railways. In rail freight transport in Germany, volume sold also fell significantly as a result of Covid-19. The overall train kilometers on track infrastructure in Germany also decreased in the year under review. However, as at least a basic supply was maintained in rail passenger transport at all times despite the sharp drop in demand in 2020, the decline in network volume produced is lower than the decline in volume sold by the TOC.
