Railhead of Austrian railways advises German counterpart against resuming night train services
In a recent interview with the Tagesspiegel, Kurt Bauer, the head of long-distance traffic for Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), expressed concerns about the operational challenges facing ÖBB's Nightjets. These challenges, which include logistical difficulties due to congested rail lines and multiple construction zones, operational strain on staff, and economic limits, have led ÖBB to slow down its growth in the night train business.
Despite strong demand, ÖBB is reducing the planned delivery of new Nightjet trains from 33 to 24 and halting plans for new destinations. The complexity of managing operations amid ongoing construction projects in Germany and Italy, as well as the toll on employees, has led ÖBB to adopt a more cautious approach to expansion.
In a surprising turn of events, Bauer advised Deutsche Bahn (DB) against resuming its own night train operations. DB had completely exited the night train business at the end of 2016, but since then, ÖBB's Nightjets have been operating in cooperation with DB from German cities to Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. The partnership has resulted in ÖBB managing the product of these trains on German routes.
Bauer emphasised that quality is more important than growth for ÖBB's Nightjets: "We can't grow at any price if the quality isn't right." This sentiment was echoed in ÖBB's decision to take over parts of the sleeping and couchette cars, as well as some connections, after DB's exit from the night train business.
Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) is expected to present a new strategy for the state-owned Deutsche Bahn company in the near future. It remains to be seen whether DB will heed Bauer's advice and continue to focus on other aspects of its operations, rather than re-entering the night train business.
References: [1] Tagesspiegel, (2022). ÖBB verlangsamt den Ausbau der Nachtzüge. Retrieved from https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/obb-verlangsamt-den-ausbau-der-nachtzuege/27686044.html
The industrial sector of night train operations is grappling with operational challenges, as highlighted by Kurt Bauer, with concerns on finance and transportation being paramount. German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) might have to reconsider its plans for re-entering night train operations, given the complexities and economic limits faced by ÖBB's Nightjets.
