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Ghost train to Venice: Train driver Klaus Jost despairs of the DB app!
A train driver from Welzheim reports on his winding journey to Venice and the pitfalls of the DB app. Don't miss the insights into Deutsche Bahn's current challenges, especially at Christmas time.
Ghost train to Venice: Train driver Klaus Jost despairs of the DB app!
Deutsche Bahn is once again the focus of criticism, and not without reason. When Klaus Jost from Welzheim planned his trip to Venice using the DB app, he experienced a bizarre surprise: the app sent him on a ghost train to Venice, with no real connection to the popular Italian city. Jost, an experienced train driver and former music editor, is frustrated by the digitized shortcomings of the DB app, which, instead of providing reliable information, occasionally resembles a confusing game ZVW.de reported.
Night trains without passengers
But that's not all: Deutsche Bahn is also causing a stir in Berlin. The railway allows empty ICE trains to move along the tracks at night to counteract the lack of sidings. According to the Daily Mirror Five to six trains pass through the streets every day without passengers, which makes the situation even more absurd. Experts warn that these operating costs are putting real pressure on already overworked train drivers, who are also suffering from a significant shortage of skilled workers.
The shortage of train drivers has become a serious problem as, according to the German Train Drivers' Union, 1,200 positions nationwide are unfilled. This is happening despite an increasing number of trained specialists - according to the Alliance Pro Rail, around 1,000 new ones are being added every year, while at the same time at least 5,000 new train drivers are needed per year to meet the increasing demand.
In order to meet the increasing demand for rail travel, Deutsche Bahn plans to advance digitalization. But not everything that glitters is gold. The radical plan to abolish printed arrival plans is causing ridicule and resentment. Many travelers are skeptical about QR codes, which led the railways to announce a return to analogue plans last week and still question the already tense structure of rail transport. The challenges facing Deutsche Bahn seem insurmountable, but demand for rail travel remains high - a paradoxical situation that will accompany the company into the future.