Ex-ÖBB Boss Christian Kern Criticizes German Railways: “It Will Never Work Out Like This”
The ongoing problems at Deutsche Bahn (DB) are again causing sharp criticism. This time, the former head of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and former Chancellor of Austria, Christian Kern, is unusually outspoken about the situation of the German state-owned company.

Deutsche Bahn has been struggling with increasing problems for years, as Reuters reports. Delays, dilapidated infrastructure, and financial difficulties are weighing heavily on the company. The latest data from the first half of 2024 shows a loss of 1.2 billion euros - caused by high costs for modernizing the network and rising financing costs. The punctuality rate in long-distance transport fell to just under 65% in 2023, a historic low.
Christian Kern, who headed ÖBB from 2010 to 2016, sees the causes of this misery not only in the financial challenges but above all in the corporate structure. “There are too many levels at Deutsche Bahn, too many managers running around, plus several management consultants. It will never work out that way,” explained Kern in an interview with the German newspaper ‘Die Zeit’.
“Railway's biggest life lie” - Kern calls for a new financing model
Kern sees the political guidelines for Deutsche Bahn as particularly problematic. He considers the expectation that DB must generate profits to be a dangerous illusion. “Rail infrastructure is a public good and a state responsibility. We have to say goodbye to the idea that we will ever make real profits.” The demand for profitability is the “biggest lie of the railroads”.
Kern argues that rail transport is not comparable to traditional companies, but should rather be seen as a public service. Reliable funding independent of election results is therefore essential to enable long-term investment in infrastructure.
Comparison with Austria - a functioning system?
Kern's criticism is no coincidence. Under his leadership, ÖBB developed into one of the most reliable railroad companies in Europe. In contrast to Deutsche Bahn, ÖBB has been able to maintain its punctuality rate for long-distance services at over 90%. The current ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä also spoke out in the debate and sharply criticized the situation in Germany: “In Germany, not a single freight train is on time.” Due to the unreliable infrastructure, ÖBB has now deployed its own team of 30 people in Vienna to exclusively monitor freight traffic in Germany.
Praise for DB boss Richard Lutz
Despite his massive criticism of the railroad structure, Kern defended the current DB boss Richard Lutz. “Lutz is an excellent man. Knowledgeable, he deserves trust.” The real problems do not lie in the management but in the political framework and the excessive bureaucracy within the company.
Experts call for structural reforms and more investment
Meanwhile, the discussion about the future of Deutsche Bahn continues. Experts are calling for far-reaching reforms and higher government investment. Instead of forcing the railroads to become profitable, the infrastructure should be treated as part of public services, similar to Switzerland or Austria. The numerous hierarchical levels and inefficient decision-making processes within DB must be drastically reduced. Instead of expensive consultants and management levels, the focus should be on expanding and renovating the infrastructure.
The German government has already announced that it will be investing more in the modernization of the railroads in the coming years. However, it remains to be seen whether these measures will be sufficient to solve DB's problems in the long term. In any case, critics such as Kern are calling for a more radical change of course. While Deutsche Bahn continues to struggle with its problems, other European countries seem to have proven that functioning rail transport is possible - provided the right course is set.