Deutsche Bahn criticised in ZDF documentary hosted by Dunja Hayali

A ZDF documentary aired on 21 July at 20:15, titled “Am Puls mit Dunja Hayali – Unsere Bahn. Geliebt, Verflucht – Gefährlich?”, examined the German railway’s chronic problems. Presenter Dunja Hayali highlighted frequent delays, ageing infrastructure, endless construction sites, questionable political and economic decisions, and the Garmisch‑Partenkirchen train crash that killed five people. She quoted a passenger saying, “Wir erleben momentan den Kollaps eines Systems,” and asked, “Warum klappt hier gefühlt fast gar nichts?”

Deutsche Bahn responded by accusing ZDF of bias, calling the film “einseitig und in hohem Maße unseriös.” Bahn chief Evelyn Palla, who earlier spoke of “riesengroßes Potenzial,” later told Welt that the railway is in “the worst crisis in its corporate history.” The documentary sparked a heated public debate, with many commuters voicing their frustrations.