BERLIN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- German rail operator Deutsche Bahn paid more than 156 million euros (179 million U.S. dollars) in compensation to passengers for train delays and cancellations in 2025, German media reported on Sunday.
Michael Peterson, board member responsible for long-distance services, told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the amount was down from nearly 197 million euros in 2024, partly due to the absence of major disruptions such as strikes. "Nevertheless, it remains a significant financial burden for us," he said.
Deutsche Bahn received about 6.2 million compensation claims in 2025. Compared with 2019, both the total payouts and the number of claims have roughly tripled.
Punctuality in long-distance services remains low. In February 2026, only 59.4 percent of long-distance trains arrived at stops with delays of less than six minutes.
Under current rules, passengers are entitled to a 25 percent refund if they arrive at their destination at least 60 minutes late, and a 50 percent refund if delays exceed 120 minutes. ■
