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Deutsche Bahn posts first profit in seven years and records 960 million passengers in H1 2026
Deutsche Bahn announced a net profit of €147 million in its core business for the first half of 2026, the first positive result since 2019 and after a loss of €760 million in the same period of 2025. Revenue rose 1.8 percent to €13.6 billion. The group carried about 960 million passengers, a record since the COVID‑19 pandemic and 17 million more than a year earlier. The company attributed the passenger surge primarily to high fuel prices that prompted many commuters to switch from cars to trains while ticket prices remained largely stable. Discount offers contributed to demand: roughly 600 000 users bought a Last‑Minute ticket, about 200 000 used the Family ticket and around 50 000 free youth BahnCard 25 cards were ordered. Transport Minister Steffen Bilger met with CEO Evelyn Palla, urging faster improvements, especially in punctuality. DB’s long‑distance punctuality in June 2026 was 52.6 percent, well below its target, and the railway continues to face infrastructure bottlenecks despite increased investment and a rising debt of €21.6 billion.
Entities
2026 · Deutsche Bahn · Deutsche Bahn AG · Dirk Flege · Evelyn Palla · German Federal Government · German passengers · Germany · Last‑Minute ticket · Steffen Bilger
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Deutsche Bahn aims for a markedly better situation by 2035, the 200th anniversary of railways in Germany.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Deutsche Bahn posted a net loss of around €2.3 billion for 2025.
- [DISPUTED] In June 2026, long‑distance train punctuality was 52.6 % (within 5:59 minutes). bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +7 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Deutsche Bahn had set a target of at least 60 % punctuality for the current year.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The company expects more than 80 % of long‑distance trains to be punctual by the early to mid‑2030s.
- [● 21 SOURCES] The main reason for the passenger increase was high fuel prices that shifted commuters from cars to trains. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +13 more
- [● 20 SOURCES] Evelyn Palla will present the half‑year results on 30 July 2026. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +12 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] The profit amount was a three‑digit‑million‑euro surplus. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +9 more
- [● 14 SOURCES] The 960 million passengers represent 17 million more than the same period in 2025. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +7 more
- [DISPUTED] Deutsche Bahn posted a net profit of €147 million in its core business for the first half of 2026, the first profit in seven years. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +13 more
- [● 29 SOURCES] Around 600 000 passengers used the Last‑Minute ticket in the first half of 2026. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +18 more
- [● 22 SOURCES] Deutsche Bahn carried about 960 million passengers in the first half of 2026, a record since the pandemic and 17 million more than the same period in 2025. bahnblogstelle.com · www.finanznachrichten.de · radioosnabrueck.de · www.nachrichten-heute.net · www.zeit.de · +14 more