Berlin (dpa) – A lack of passengers due to strict social distancing measures in Germany means the trains are running more efficiently, the country’s state-owned rail operator says.
Deutsche Bahn said 82.4 per cent of all long-distance trains reached their destinations on time in March.
That was 4.1 percentage points more than in March of the previous year and 3.1 points more than in February.
A key reason for delays – passengers getting on and off at full platforms – has been eliminated as far fewer people have reason to travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The frequency of trains was also significantly lower than usual – about three quarters of long-distance services were running at the beginning of April, a spokesperson said.
A train is considered delayed if it arrives at its destination six minutes or more after the scheduled time.
Deutsche Bahn has set a target of 78 per cent of trains arriving on time in 2020.
Last year, the company had just missed its self-imposed target of 76.5 per cent, but punctuality improved significantly in January, when around 84.3 per cent of trains arrived on time.
In February, several bad days pushed the rate down to just under 80 per cent.
Be the first to comment on "German trains become more punctual during coronavirus pandemic "