Deutsche Bahn

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Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railways; abbreviated DBAG or simply DB) is Germany's main railway operator, providing passenger and freight services. The successor of the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of the former East Germany, it has operated since January 1 1994. In its advertising materials, DB refers to itself as Die Bahn, which in German means literally "the course" or "the path" but is used in this case as a synonym for "the railway".

Contents

1 Corporate structure
2 Chief executives of Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Bahn AG
3 Current operations
4 Codeshare with airlines
5 Rolling stock
6 See also
7 External links

Corporate structure

InterCity Express train, Stuttgart.

DB is a private limited company whose shares are held by the German federal government. Originally, it was hoped for that privatisation and of the state railways and opening of German tracks to other railway companies would promote competition and efficiency, and eventually lead to higher standards and lower costs. However, the process of privatisation has been stalled for a number of years, with the original IPO planned for 2006 indefinitely postponed.

DBAG has been divided into various branches in the past; as these are regularly renamed and new companies are formed, it is rather difficult to get a complete overview of the corporate structure.

The most important subdivisions are:

DB Netz: manages the railway network
DB Station+Service: manages station buildings, ticket sales and general service
DB Fernverkehr (previously DB Reise&Touristik): operates long-distance trains, restaurant cars and food service inside stations
DB AutoZug: operates night trains and holiday services
DB Regio: operates short and medium distance trains as well as commuter services
DB ZugBus: provides bus services and owns many smaller bus companies
Railion (previously DB Cargo)
BRG (Bahnreinigungsgesellschaft): provides cleaning services
BSG (Bahnschutzgesellschaft): employs safety patrol personnel for railway stations and trains, mostly at night
DB Immobilien: manages all real estate
DB Fuhrpark: owns all corporate cars
Schenker: road haulage and logistics

Chief executives of Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Bahn AG

Deutsche Bahn recycling and rubbish bin in a railway station.

Heinz Maria Oeftering (1957-1972)
Wolfgang Vaerst (1972-1982)
Reiner Gohlke (1982-1990)
Heinz Dürr (1991-1997)
Johannes Ludewig (1997-1999)
Hartmut Mehdorn (1999-present)

Current operations

With the German rail network being the second most dense in the world (only surpassed Switzerland), DB has a quasi-monopoly on most passenger services. Whilst there are more than 300 independent freight operators competing with Railion, DB's freight branch, there is less competition in local services, although an increasing number of lines see services from competitors like Prignitzer Eisenbahn or NordWestBahn as their service leases are renewed by the local governments. Long-distance passenger competition, on the other hand, is practically nil except for the InterConnex trains in eastern Germany.

DB operates InterCityExpress and InterCity trains to nearly any major city in the country, with ICE trains going to Switzerland, Austria, The Netherlands and Belgium. Another service to France is going to be established in 2007.

Codeshare with airlines

In conjunction with American Airlines, Emirates, and Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn operates rail services (AiRail Service) between Frankfurt International Airport and Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Freiburg, Hamburg, Hanover, Mannheim, Munich, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart. Deutsche Bahn has the IATA designator 2A.

Rolling stock

External links

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