Digitalization and technology

Digitalization

Our target image of a digital railway is aimed at making DB Group more modern for customers and more profitable. This involves the creation of a networked, automated and inte­grated overall system. This is because digitalization only works when everything is in sync: infrastructure, trains and operations.

Measures

In order to drive forward the digital transformation, DB Group has defined comprehensive digitalization measures and targets as part of its strategic orientation. We also report on business-unit-specific measures for each business unit under Development of the business units.

• Strong IT: As part of this program, DB Group has set itself the goal of simplifying its IT landscape and realigning its IT management. The harmonization and standardization of IT systems and applications is intended to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the IT landscape and achieve cost reductions. Progress was measured against two goals: a significant reduction in IT applications across cross-functional departments by the end of 2027, as well as a reduction in IT personnel requirements.
  
  In 2025, we made the following progress:
  • The decommissioning of over 300 IT applications in cross-functional areas, such as data visualization and document management
  • The introduction of standardized responsibilities to ensure a technically standardized IT architecture across the entire Group.
  • The consolidation of committee structures to speed up decision-making and eliminate duplicate structures.
  • The establishment of a Group-wide IT portfolio process that prioritizes IT projects based on value contribution and ensures quality. This is how we ensure that IT cap­­ital expenditures are prioritized and evaluated for synergies.
  • The introduction of a Group-wide set of key perfor­mance indicators and standardized IT controlling that enables the measurement of progress, efficiency and cost transparency.
• Project Argo: With Project Argo, DB Group has set itself the goal of migrating all existing SAP R / 3 systems to the SAP S / 4HANA platform and implementing process and system optimizations with the aim of improving prof­itabil­­ity and readiness for the future (e. g. by leveraging SAP standards). Among other achievements, the following progress was made in 2025: DB Energy’s Integrated Main­tenance System (Integriertes System der Instand­hal­­tung; ISI) and Maintenance and Planning System (Instand­haltungs- und Planungssystem; ISP), as well as DB Services’ Facility Management System (sysFM), were migrated to SAP S/4HANA. Other notable developments included six go-lives of the Extended Warehouse Man­agement System (EWM) at various maintenance depots, as well as the up­grade of the SAP BI network from the BW on HANA release to BW / 4HANA.
• Cybersecurity: In 2025, DB Group faced a persistently high threat level from state-sponsored actors and cyber­criminals. However, in 2025, there were no cyber attacks or threats that triggered Group-wide emergencies. In 2025, significant progress was made in the field of infor­mation security. As a result, the Group-wide risk report was expanded to include quantified information security risks. The regulation process was tailored for greater efficiency and speed. The Group cybersecurity program is making progress. The integration of IT results into the line organization is imminent. In July 2025, the Manage­ment Board decided to continue the Group cybersecurity program with a focus on OT (Operational Technology) security. Particular emphasis is placed on relevant OT assets related to KRITIS or to security, and business-critical assets requiring a very high level of protection.
• AI: Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to become an increas­ing­ly key driver of modernization and transformation throughout the entire production cycle within DB Group. The current initiative focuses on long-term effectiveness in core processes and on short-term efficiency gains in AI-driven software development, as well as in adminis­trative workflows:
  • AI in dispatch: By focusing on core processes, the AI dispatch tool supports dispatchers with intelligent recommendations in their day-to-day work. The appli­cation AI dispatch (KI-Dispo) processes the current operational situation in a matter of seconds and uses this information to generate targeted recom­men­dations for dispatchers at dispatch centers. It con­tinuously simulates traffic conditions based on real-time data and alerts users to potential conflicts early on, allowing for an immediate response to emerg­ing delays. The AI dispatch tool is already in pilot operation on the Stuttgart, Rhine-Main and Munich S-Bahn (metro) systems, and the pilot program has been underway on the Berlin S-Bahn (metro) system since 2025. As part of the pilot program, the system is being continuously refined to incorporate additional factors that influence scheduling. As a result, the AI dispatch tool helped to avoid about 95,000 minutes of delays in 2025.
• Operational Quality Management System (Steuerungs­system Qualität Fahrbetrieb; SQF): SQF processes real-time train movement data for all trains, as well as instances of delays (incidents and lost units). The data is visualized on a line map and presented in about 80 reports. Since October 2025, the locations of restricted speed sections have been updated daily on the line map. The line displays the location and speed with precise direction and mileage information. Various filters are available that allow the impact of restricted speed sections on operations to be analyzed.
• WETTER@DB 2.0: Wetter@DB is the central weather database within DB Group. The goal is to provide the best possible weather information for rail operations at the level of the stations and the lines. The functionalities and weather information from existing tools are currently being consolidated into a centralized, intelligent warning system. Several expert modules provide visualizations in the form of maps, tables and weather reports on flood conditions, lightning activity, wind speed and other para­meters, and issue alerts via text message and email. By further developing the existing weather application, the goal is to make weather-sensitive rail operations more robust, effective and energy-efficient through even more precise information.
• Digital vehicle maintenance: These measures are de­signed to increase maintenance capacity and productivity at the depots, improve vehicle availability and reduce maintenance costs. The results achieved in 2025 included:
  • The rollout of the Digital Fleet Management System at DB Regional has been completed, and the system is now in use across the board.
  • The pilot project for the Digital Twin Explorer (DTE) as a key tool for data-driven maintenance optimization was implemented in the Hamburg S-Bahn (metro) system, laying the groundwork for further expansion.
  • The “Schraubcenter” digital maintenance center guides employees through the assembly process for semi-automation in component processing at DB Vehicle Maintenance, and is currently in productive use in its first application. It assists employees in tightening bolts (particularly those with safety relevance) during assembly work on components and vehicles.
• Digital Workbench: The Digital Workbench within DB Group improves operational processes through targeted digitalization and automation measures. Two key tools are used for this purpose: digital assistants and AI in the workplace. Nine digital assistants were developed further and were in operation in 2025.
  • Track Switch Control (Steuerung Gleiswechsel; STG) is an application for the digital control of train orders for train delivery and staging, as well as for switching moves around a depot. STG is in use at numerous locations and will be phased in at DB Long-Distance and DB Regional starting in late 2025.
• DataHub Europe: DataHub Europe, a joint venture between Schwarz Digits and DB Group, offers a European data and AI platform. The goal is to promote AI innovation by providing a secure, GDPR-compliant framework for the exchange and processing of data – with data centers and cloud infrastructure located in Europe. For DB Group, DataHub Europe represents another key building block for bringing its own AI projects – ranging from preventive maintenance and energy optimization to quality assur­ance – into operation more quickly, in a scalable manner, and in full compliance with legal requirements.

Information security

Information security is a priority given an increasingly inter­connected global environment and the rapid progress of digitalization. It is essential for companies to recognize information risks in good time, establish countermeasures and react quickly and decisively to incidents. Our goal is to ensure the long-term security of our infrastructure in infor­mation technology (IT, e. g. customer apps) and operational technology (OT, e.g. control software in switches). In par­ticular, ensuring the security of the OT is becoming an ever-greater priority in light of the increasing digitalization of rail operations.

The Management Board has delegated the tasks and powers associated with information security to the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of DB Group. The CISO is thus responsible to the Management Board for DB Group’s information security and reports directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of DB Group and the Management Board. Key responsibilities entail further developing information security in DB Group and developing a permanent information security culture. This includes establishing future-oriented processes, measures and solutions based on internationally recognized, workable standards that apply to new and existing IT / OT projects. In addition, all external suppliers working with DB Group are contractually obliged to comply with the agreed information security requirements.

The Federal Government has also launched initiatives related to the EU NIS 2 Directive. The goal is to provide even better protection for critical infrastructure and essential services. Centralized support measures have been and are being developed for the affected DB companies in order to leverage synergies.

National and international networking is also a core task, particularly in European rail transport. Examples include the establishment of Rail-ISAC, which provides European railway operators and companies with an Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) for secure cooperation on new threats and technologies in the field of cybersecurity, as well as cooperation with the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), and the exchange of infor­mation with major German DAX-listed companies as well as organizational units of the German Armed Forces.

Technology

DB Group’s technological innovations not only improve operations, but also enrich our customers’ travel experience. They are being continuously expanded in close cooperation with policymakers and the industry, and are setting the target image of new standards for the sector and the industry.

Measures

• Green rail technology: We are driving forward DB Group’s ecological transformation with the “green rail tech­nology” program. Its core mission is to harness technical innovations, test them, and scale them across the overall system in order to effectively improve sustainability and profitability in the short term while ensuring a balance between these two priorities. In 2025, the focus was on implementing and further developing projects related to energy optimization and the use of alternative fuels. In the area of traction current, energy savings in vehicle energy consumption are achieved through the reduced use of air-conditioning systems on DB Regional trains, in part by retrofitting load-dependent control systems. The relevant certification processes for the 423 series were completed in 2025 and refitting is scheduled for 2026.
• Phase-out of diesel: With regard to alternative fuels, the Group’s diesel phase-out rail (Dieselausstieg Schiene; DaS) program aims to accelerate the phase-out of diesel in order to achieve climate neutrality by 2040. The focus here is on the increasing use of the biofuel hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a bridging technology, immediate climate protection measures, and the testing and rollout of alternative drives. By 2025, DB Group had replaced over 19 million liters of diesel with HVO in Germany and launched a project to test the feasibility of using e-diesel produced using the Fischer-Tropsch process in railway engines. The aim of the project is to analyze engine performance and to measure gaseous and partic­ulate emissions.
• Automation of switching and deployment: In 2025, the groundwork was laid for the gradual automation of switching moves and deployments in depots and staging areas. To consolidate all ongoing and planned activities necessary for the implementation of Remote Train Oper­ation (RTO) and Automatic Train Operation (ATO) at Grade of Automation (GoA) 3-4, the Automation of Switching Moves and Deployment (Automatisierung Rangierfahrt und Bereitstellung; ARB) program was established. In addition, the fully automated driving systems area was established within DB System Technology to ensure the necessary implementation expertise. The following results were achieved in 2025:
  • Rail freight transport: As part of the “ATO Cargo Betu­weroute” research project, two DB Cargo loco­motives were upgraded with ATO GoA 2-4 function­alities, and a remote operation center was established in Kijfhoek, the Netherlands.
  • Regional rail passenger transport: An operating concept as well as a test and feature concept for an RTO prototype were developed for the Munich S-Bahn (metro) system. In 2025, a 5G campus network was set up at the Munich Steinhausen site to provide the connectivity required for remote driving.
  • Long-distance rail passenger transport: As part of the RemODtrAIn funding project, the aim is to imple­ment remote driving. In 2025, an operational concept was developed as a first step toward this goal.
• Connectivity: Robust connectivity for passengers and rail operations was a priority in 2025. Working together with the Federal Government and regulatory authorities, we have laid the groundwork for the project’s imple­mentation. Consequently, the “5G at the tracks” concept was incorporated into the Federal Network Agency’s coverage requirement of March 2025, thereby establishing obligations for public network operators to contribute to the development of mobile communications innovation in the rail network by 2030. In the spring of 2025, the Fed­eral Government-funded joint project “Gigabit Inno­vation Track” (GINT) – which develops cross-sector tech­nical solutions for the implementation of “5G at the tracks” – was expanded to include all mobile network operators operating in Germany. In addition, the BMV included the piloting and long-term implementation of the “5G at the tracks” concept as a top priority in the “Agen­­da­ for ­Satisfied Rail Customers”µ 38. Given the obsoles­cence of GSM-R, there is an operational risk to the continuity of rail operations. For this reason, DB Group is working together with all European railways to develop and implement the 5G-based successor system for operational communications – the Future Railway Communication System (FRMCS).