Germany’s transport minister, Volker Wissing, has criticized Deutsche Bahn (DB) for its performance during Euro 2020, citing travel chaos and fan complaints. Fans took to social media to complain about lengthy travel disruptions and packed trains at several matches.
Wissing described DB’s pledge to provide 10,000 additional train seats daily during the tournament as over-ambitious, stating the network couldn’t handle the additional capacity in its current state. He also blamed heavy rains and storms for further complicating travel, citing the temporary closure of fan zones and a 20-minute pause during a Germany-Denmark match in Dortmund.
The minister highlighted the need for modernization of Germany’s aging railway infrastructure, suggesting the network wasn’t designed for such extreme weather conditions. He also noted that renovations are beginning to improve drainage systems.
Deutsche Bahn, in its own assessment, acknowledged a “mixed conclusion” regarding punctuality of long-distance trains, stating they made “the most” of the rail system but were limited by an outdated and overwhelmed infrastructure.
The Euro tournament has brought Germany’s struggles with modernizing its rail infrastructure and boosting punctuality under international scrutiny.