Development in the year under review
- The Covid-19 pandemic and performance losses resulted in negative revenue development.
- As a result, operating profit figures are worsening.
DB Regional | 2020 | 2019 | Change | 2018 | ||
absolute | % | |||||
Punctuality (rail) (%) | 95.6 | 94.3 | – | – | 94.0 | |
Punctuality bus 1)(%) | 83.4 | 81.6 | – | – | – | |
Customer satisfaction (rail) (SI) | 69.0 | 66.1 | – | – | 66.3 | |
Customer satisfaction (bus) 2)(SI) | 71 | 73 | – | – | 74 | |
Passengers (million) | 1,604 | 2,507 | –903 | –36.0 | 2,521 | |
thereof rail | 1,215 | 1,972 | –757 | –38.4 | 1,940 | |
Volume sold (million pkm) | 28,048 | 47,908 | –19,860 | –41.5 | 48,615 | |
thereof rail | 23,897 | 41,633 | –17,736 | –42.6 | 41,878 | |
Volume produced (rail) (million train-path km) | 424.8 | 452.5 | –27.7 | –6.1 | 460.1 | |
Volume produced (bus) (million bus km) | 456.7 | 479.8 | –23.1 | –4.8 | 518.6 | |
Total revenues (€ million) | 7,662 | 8,945 | –1,283 | –14.3 | 8,968 | |
External revenues (€ million) | 7,553 | 8,830 | –1,277 | –14.5 | 8,862 | |
Rail concession fees (€ million) | 5,292 | 5,627 | –335 | –6.0 | 5,472 | |
EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 184 | 1,056 | –872 | –82.6 | 1,126 | |
EBIT adjusted (€ million) | –451 | 408 | –859 | – | 492 | |
Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 434 | 560 | –126 | –22.5 | 539 | |
Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 37,159 | 36,374 | +785 | +2.2 | 35,881 | |
Employee satisfaction (SI) | 3.8 | – | – | – | 3.5 | |
Share of women as of Dec 31 (%) | 16.9 | 16.8 | – | – | 16.2 | |
Specific final energy consumption (rail) compared to 2006 (based on pkm) (%) | +13.2 | –30.0 | – | – | –29.4 | |
Specific final energy consumption (bus) compared to 2006 (based on bus km) (%) | –1.4 | +1.7 | – | – | +6.0 | |
1) Change in method from 2020 onwards, with retroactive adjustments for the previous year.
2) Change in method from 2020 onwards.
Punctuality increased in the year under review. The Hamburg and Berlin S-Bahn (metro) made a major contribution to this development. In addition to punctuality measures, the drivers of this contribution were the lower utilization of the rail network and the declining number of passengers associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Punctuality also improved for bus transport due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Reduced driving services during the shutdown in spring, especially of seasonal transport and special journeys, led to better resource availability. An unburdening of the transport infrastructure and the reduction in passenger transport had a supporting effect.
To assess customer satisfaction, about 25,000 customers (rail) and about 1,500 customers (bus) are asked about their satisfaction in two waves each year:
- Customer satisfaction in rail transport has increased significantly. In particular, satisfaction with the most recent journey increased, driven by improvements in almost all performance dimensions and reliability during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Due to the application of a new survey methodology in 2020, the values are no longer comparable to those of previous years. In 2020, the satisfaction with the current journey and with the bus company especially was reassessed.
The performance development in rail and bus transport declined significantly due to service losses and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The economic development of DB Regional was very challenging in 2020 due to Covid-19. The significant reduction in passenger numbers did not fully impact revenue development as the revenue risk for gross contracts lies with the public transport authority, and Covid-19 support measures within the scope of the industry solution for regional transport also dampened the development. Nevertheless, there were significant declines in operating profit:
- Revenues declined significantly due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and performance-related declines in rail and bus transport.
- The higher other operating income (+145 %/€ +571 million) had a partially compensating effect, mainly as a result of the Covid-19 support.
On the expense side, there was an overall increase due to additional charges, mainly from the revaluation of the provisions for impending losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as higher personnel expenses:
- Other operating expenses (+33.4 %/€ +231 million) increased significantly, mainly as a result of a revaluation of provisions for impending losses due to the effects of Covid-19.
- Personnel expenses (+2.1 %/€ +45 million) rose as a result of collective bargaining agreements and the higher number of employees.
The decline in cost of materials and depreciation, on the other hand, had a dampening effect:
- Cost of materials (–2.7 %/€ –151 million) decreased due to the performance development and due to lower expenses for the use of infrastructure and energy as a result of Covid-19. Price effects had the opposite effect of increasing expenses.
- Depreciation (–2.0%/€ –13 million) decreased due, among other things, to the end of the useful life of vehicles. Vehicle purchases resulted in an increase.
Capital expenditures fell as a result of the nonrecurrence of tender-related vehicle projects in the rail line of business. The increase in capital expenditures in the bus line of business, as a result of replacement capital expenditures and the purchase of vehicles due to tenders won, had the opposite effect.
The number of employees increased slightly in both lines of business as of December 31, 2020.
Employee satisfaction rose significantly and is on a good level. In 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an overall, primary focus on health protection. Taking into account the regulations of the Federal states, measures relating to occupational health and safety (including the distribution of protective articles and contactless ticket inspection in trains) have been taken on a permanent basis to ensure safe transport. At the same time, the measures to protect employees from attacks were expanded, and additional multiple unit drivers were recruited and qualified through functional training. The compass indexwas in the average range, at 52 %. The compass index was first recorded in 2020 and shows how culture is experienced at DB Group, in the sense of the compass for a strong teamwork. The compass principle “You can do it” is the strongest principle with 63 % approval at DB Regional.
The share of women rose slightly in the year under review.
In the year under review, travel behavior was strongly influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the range of services has been maintained almost completely despite the reduced capacity utilization due to the pandemic, the specific final energy consumption on the rail has increased. Nevertheless, the further roll-out of the RESY telematics system has improved energy efficiency in diesel vehicles. This has reduced the energy consumption of the vehicles by up to 10 %. In bus transport, the specific final energy consumption (in relation to bus kilometers) has reduced.
- Profit development declined, in particular as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and performance losses.
- Personnel expenses increased due to collective bargaining agreements and increased employee numbers.
- Delays in vehicle deliveries require further replacement concepts.
Rail line of business | 2020 | 2019 | Change | ||
absolute | % | ||||
Passengers (million) | 1,241 | 2,010 | –769 | –38.3 | |
thereof rail | 1,215 | 1,972 | –757 | –38.4 | |
Volume sold (million pkm) | 24,297 | 42,204 | –17,907 | –42.4 | |
thereof rail | 23,897 | 41,633 | –17,736 | –42.6 | |
Volume produced (million train-path km) | 424.8 | 452.5 | –27.7 | –6.1 | |
Total revenues (€ million) | 6,696 | 7,848 | –1,152 | –14.7 | |
External revenues (€ million) | 6,593 | 7,740 | –1,147 | –14.8 | |
Rail concession fees (€ million) | 5,293 | 5,626 | –333 | –5.9 | |
EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 342 | 1,037 | –695 | –67.0 | |
EBIT adjusted (€ million) | –226 | 454 | –680 | – | |
Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 329 | 496 | –167 | –33.7 | |
Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 28,090 | 27,715 | +375 | +1.4 | |
The performance development in the rail line of business was influenced by Covid-19 and performance losses. The number of passengers and the volume sold has thus declined significantly. Volume produced declined mainly as a result of tender losses. Due to the maintenance of at least a stable basic service, the Covid-19 pandemic had a less significant effect here.
On the economic side, declining demand and performance losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant decline in operating profit figures:
- The negative revenue development was driven by the impact of Covid-19 and performance losses.
- Higher other operating income partially compensated for this, as it increased significantly in turn as a result of Covid-19 support.
Overall, the expense side developed in an almost stable trend. Lower cost of materials and depreciation were, among other things, reduced due to Covid-19-related charges and higher expenses for personnel:
- Cost of materials decreased as a result of lower expenses from the use of trainpath and stations as well as energy due to the effects of lower performance and Covid-19. Price effects had the opposite effect. Additional expenses for maintenance and hygiene services also had a dampening effect.
- Depreciation fell as a result, among other things, of vehicles reaching the end of their useful life. Vehicle purchases had an opposite effect.
- On the other hand, personnel expenses increased as a result of the collective bargaining agreement and the higher number of employees.
- Other operating expenses also increased mainly as a result of a revaluation of provisions for impending losses due primarily to the effects of Covid-19.
Capital expenditure activities declined due to the discontinuation of tender-related vehicle projects.
The number of employees increased slightly, partly as a result of capacity expansion.
- Revenue losses due to the effects of Covid-19.
- Delayed implementation of programs due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Charges from price effects for purchased services and tariff effects.
Bus line of business | 2020 | 2019 | Change | ||
absolute | % | ||||
Passengers (million) | 363.0 | 496.8 | –133.8 | –26.9 | |
Volume sold (million pkm) | 3,750 | 5,704 | –1,954 | –34.3 | |
Volume produced (million bus km) | 429.1 | 452.8 | –23.7 | –5.2 | |
Total revenues (€ million) | 1,042 | 1,162 | –120 | –10.3 | |
External revenues (€ million) | 960 | 1,090 | –130 | –11.9 | |
EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | –158 | 20 | –178 | – | |
EBIT adjusted (€ million) | –226 | –46 | –180 | – | |
Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 106 | 64 | +42 | +65.6 | |
Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 9,069 | 8,659 | +410 | +4.7 | |
Performance development in the bus line of business significantly declined as a result of tendering losses and the effects of Covid-19.
Economic development continued to be challenging. The decline in revenues as well as additional burdens on the expenses side led to a significant decline in the operating profit figures.
- The negative revenue development was influenced in particular by the effects of Covid-19 and performance losses. Increased services in the rail replacement sector had a slightly opposite effect.
- Higher other operating income partially compensated for this, as it increased significantly in turn as a result of Covid-19 support.
On the expenses side, additional burdens were incurred, mainly due to a significant need for adjustment due to the worsening outlook as a result of Covid-19 and higher personnel expenses:
- Personnel expenses increased due to the higher number of employees and due to collective bargaining agreements.
- Other operating expenses rose significantly, mainly as a result of allocations to provisions for impending losses due to the effects of Covid-19.
- The increase in depreciation resulted from capital expenditures in the previous year.
- On the other hand, the cost of materials was reduced as a result of decreased services and volume and price effects on the fuel market. Price increases in the purchase of transport services as well as higher maintenance had a negative impact.
Capital expediture activities increased, among other things, due to the renewal of the vehicle fleet.
The number of employees rose significantly, mainly as a result of recruitments for new operations and in preparation for additional transport in the following year.
