Development in the year under review
- Significant increase in volume sold due to full-year effectiveness of the Germany-Ticket and tender successes in the bus sector.
- Additional burdens due to strikes, higher personnel costs and intensive construction activity on the network.
- Operating profit performance significantly improved.
| DB Regional | 2024 | 2023 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| absolute | % | |||
| Punctuality (rail) (% )1) | 90.7 | 91.4 | –0.7 | – |
| Punctuality (bus) (%) | 85.9 | 85.2 | +0.7 | – |
| Customer satisfaction (grade) – rail | 2.2 | 2.2 | – | – |
| Customer satisfaction (grade) – bus | 2.1 | 2.0 | +0.1 | – |
| Passengers (million) | 2,295 | 2,244 | +51 | +2.3 |
| thereof rail | 1,733 | 1,697 | +36 | +2.1 |
| Volume sold (million pkm) | 46,853 | 43,495 | +3,358 | +7.7 |
| thereof rail | 40,601 | 37,485 | +3,116 | +8.3 |
| Volume produced (rail) (million train-path km) | 406.6 | 420.3 | –13.7 | –3.3 |
| Volume produced (bus) (million bus km) | 554.0 | 529.0 | +25.0 | +4.7 |
| Total revenues (€ million) | 10,278 | 9,706 | +572 | +5.9 |
| External revenues (€ million) | 10,096 | 9,536 | +560 | +5.9 |
| Rail concession fees (€ million) | 7,152 | 6,759 | +393 | +5.8 |
| EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 766 | 634 | +132 | +20.8 |
| EBIT adjusted (€ million) | 108 | –22 | +130 | – |
| Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 498 | 606 | –108 | –17.8 |
| Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 42,405 | 39,587 | +2,818 | +7.1 |
| Employees annual average (FTE) | 41,131 | 38,763 | +2,368 | +6.1 |
| Employee satisfaction (SI) | 3.6 | – | – | – |
| Share of women as of Dec 31 (%) | 16.9 | 17.1 | –0.2 | – |
| Absolute greenhouse gas emissions (rail) Scope 1 and 2 compared to 2019 (%) | –13.1 | –12.3 | –0.8 | – |
| Absolute greenhouse gas emissions (bus) Scope 1 and 2 compared to 2019 (%) | +11.9 | +5.0 | +6.9 | – |
1) Adjusted to third-weighted presentation (S-Bahn (metro) AC, S-Bahn (metro) DC, DB Regional Rail without S-Bahn (metro)).
Punctuality in local rail passenger transport decreased in 2024 in both regional and S-Bahn (metro) services. The main drivers are capacity restrictions due to major construction measures (including general modernization of the Riedbahn) and structural problems in the area of infrastructure facilities, particularly due to superstructure failures and restricted speed sections.
The punctuality of bus services has improved further.
The development of customer satisfaction was mixed:
- DB Regional Rail: Passenger satisfaction with the current journey remained stable in 2024. Both regional and S-Bahn (metro) rail services confirmed their good satisfaction ratings from the previous year. Although the rating for punctuality fell slightly, the Germany-Ticket led to increased satisfaction with fares.
- DB Regional Road: Passenger satisfaction declined slightly. The reasons for this are the slightly more critical assessments of the dimensions schedule and punctuality.
Passenger numbers at DB Regional developed positively in 2024, among other things due to the first full-year effectiveness of the Germany-Ticket and tender wins by DB Regional Road. The overall performance development was pleasing:
- DB Regional Rail: The number of passengers and volume sold increased. Positive effects from the first full-year effectiveness of the Germany-Ticket were partially offset by strikes by the GDL and the high level of construction activity in the infrastructure.
- DB Regional Road: Winning tenders and additional rail substitute services, in particular, led to a positive performance trend. Strikes by the United Services Union (ver.di) had a dampening effect.
The economic development of DB Regional improved significantly. The increase in income was only partially offset by additional charges, particularly in the DB Regional Rail line of business, including from increased personnel and infrastructure usage costs and strikes. Operating profit figures improved significantly and adjusted EBIT was again clearly positive.
Income increased noticeably:
- Revenues (+5.9%/€ +572 million): The increase was largely due to higher concession fees, demand-driven increases in fare revenues as well as performance gains and additional rail substitute services in bus transport. Revenues from final invoices under transport contracts also increased. Strikes by the GDL and ver.di had a particularly dampening effect.
- Other operating income (+8.7%/€ +71 million): The increase was, above all, due to compensation payments and cost reimbursements as well as higher commission income.
On the expense side, there were additional burdens, mainly as a result of higher personnel expenses due to collective wage agreements and other factors, as well as demand- and price-related increases in cost of materials:
- Cost of materials (+4.2%/€ +269 million): Increase mainly due to volume-related higher purchased transport services (including for rail substitute services) and an intensification of vehicle maintenance and service improvement measures. Higher costs led to an increase in infrastructure utilization expenses, which were partially offset by construction and strike-related declines in performance.
- Personnel expenses (+8.6%/€ +217 million): Increase mainly due to collective wage agreements and an increase in the number of employees, including due to increased recruitment (DB Regional Rail) and gains from tenders won (DB Regional Road).
- Other operating expenses (+4.3%/€ +42 million): Increase resulted from higher other purchased services inter alia for project-related inter-Group charges as well as training costs for new employees. In addition, higher rental expenses were incurred for the accommodation of the driving personnel on the Riedbahn and other rail substitute services. Lower additions to provisions for impending losses had a dampening effect.
- Depreciation (+0.3%/€ +2 million): A capital expenditure-related increase at DB Regional Road was almost completely offset by a decline at DB Regional Rail, above all in part due to the extension of vehicle useful lives and the absence of negative one-off effects from the previous year.
Capital expenditure activity fell significantly in line with the requirements arising from the transport contracts won (mainly DB Regional Rail) and due to delays in the delivery of vehicles (DB Regional Road).
The number of employees was higher than at the end of the previous year due to performance-related factors.
The proportion of women was slightly below the level at the end of the previous year.
The decrease in absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions at DB Regional Rail compared to 2019 resulted, among other things, from a slight decrease in fuel consumption and improved energy efficiency in electric drives. The lower use of HVO, which fell by about 10% compared to the previous year, had the opposite effect. The reason for this is that many public transport authorities are not prepared to pay a higher price for sustainable energy sources in the current tense economic situation. This led, among other things, to the refueling of HVO at one of the highest-volume HVO tank facilities being stopped in June 2024. At DB Regional Road, absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from the operation of buses increased again compared to 2019 due to higher volume produced.
- Further increase in volume sold mainly due to the Germany-Ticket.
- Additional burdens, in particular due to strikes, higher personnel costs and high construction activity on the network.
- Portfolio optimizations have a partially counterbalancing effect.
| DB REGIONAL rail line of business | 2024 | 2023 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| absolute | % | |||
| Passengers (million) | 1,733 | 1,697 | +36 | +2.1 |
| Volume sold (million pkm) | 40,601 | 37,485 | +3,116 | +8.3 |
| Volume produced (million train-path km) | 406.6 | 420.3 | –13.7 | –3.3 |
| Total revenues (€ million) | 8,770 | 8,371 | +399 | +4.8 |
| External revenues (€ million) | 8,653 | 8,254 | +399 | +4.8 |
| Rail concession fees (€ million) | 7,152 | 6,759 | +393 | +5.8 |
| EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 697 | 626 | +71 | +11.3 |
| EBIT adjusted (€ million) | 141 | 63 | +78 | +124 |
| Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 361 | 414 | –53 | –12.8 |
| Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 30,871 | 28,883 | +1,988 | +6.9 |
The positive demand trend continued in 2024. The fact that the Germany-Ticket was valid for a full-year for the first time had a noticeably positive effect. The number of passengers and, above all, the volume sold increased as a result. The strikes by the GDL in the first quarter of 2024 had a dampening effect, which also led to a decline in volume produced. The high level of construction activity on the network also had a negative impact.
The economic development was pleasing. The positive revenue trend was faced with less significant increases in expenses.
- Income increased: This was mainly driven by higher concession fees, a performance-related increase in revenues from fares, income from final invoices under transport contracts as well as compensation payments and cost reimbursements. The GDL strikes had a particularly dampening effect.
- The increase in expenses was less pronounced: The main expense drivers were higher personnel expenses as a result of wage increases and a higher number of employees due to increased recruitment. Additional burdens also resulted among others from the intensification of measures for vehicle maintenance and rail substitute services. Higher infrastructure usage costs were partially offset by lower volumes due to strikes and construction work.
Capital expenditure activities developed in line with the requirements from transport contracts awarded and were down significantly.
The number of employees increased significantly as a result of increased recruitment activities.
- Performance gains in scheduled services and additional rail substitute services drive revenue and profit growth.
- Strikes by ver.di had a dampening effect.
| DB REGIONAL Road line of business | 2024 | 2023 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute | % | |||
| Passengers (million) | 561.2 | 546.8 | +14.4 | +2.6 |
| Volume sold (million pkm) | 6,252 | 6,010 | +242 | +4.0 |
| Volume produced (million bus km) | 554.0 | 529.0 | +25.0 | +4.7 |
| Total revenues (€ million) | 1,839 | 1,601 | +238 | +14.9 |
| External revenues (€ million) | 1,444 | 1,282 | +162 | +12.6 |
| EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 70 | 7 | +63 | – |
| EBIT adjusted (€ million) | –33 | –86 | +53 | –61.6 |
| Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 137 | 192 | –55 | –28.6 |
| Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 11,534 | 10,704 | +830 | +7.8 |
The positive performance trend in bus transport was mainly the result of tender wins.
The operating profit figures improved significantly. However, the economic situation remains challenging:
- The income increased: The main drivers were the performance trend (in particular due to tender wins), price adjustments and final invoices under transport contracts, additional rail substitute services and the absence of negative one-off effects in the previous year. Negative effects from strikes in local public transport.
- Expenses increased more slowly: Expenses were driven primarily by higher expenses for purchased transport services and maintenance due to price and volume factors. Personnel expenses also increased due to the higher number of employees and collective wage agreements. Expenses for diesel increased as a result of the higher volume produced. Depreciation increased due to capital expenditures. Strike effects had the opposite effect of reducing expenses.
Capital expenditures fell significantly as vehicles were not delivered on time.
The increase in the number of employees was mainly due to more drivers due to performance gains.