Sharp criticism of incorrect train displays - Deutsche Bahn plans program

The passenger association Pro Bahn Mitteldeutschland criticizes considerable deficits in passenger information in Saxony's regional transport. Numerous lines and transport companies are affected - especially in the case of roadworks, detour and last-minute timetable changes, the association announced in Dresden. The information systems repeatedly displayed incorrect data and information.

At the beginning of March, Deutsche Bahn announced an immediate program for better passenger information, but left the start date open. "Better customer communication is just as important to us as it is to Pro Bahn," the company wrote in response to an inquiry.

"In addition to more safety and cleanliness in trains and stations, passengers should be better informed before and during their journey - both on the train, at the station and on the digital information channels." The program for better customer communication will be presented in detail this spring.

Trains are displayed even though they are sometimes not running at all

The Pro Bahn association criticized it as particularly serious "when trains continue to be displayed as running regularly even though they are diverted or canceled altogether. At stations, this leads to confusing situations in which passengers wait for non-operating connections without reliable information."

Passengers waited in vain in Dresden-Plauen on Holy Saturday

Pro Bahn pointed to Holy Saturday and journeys on the RE3 from Dresden-Neustadt to Hof operated by Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn, which was diverted via Riesa without any information in the usual information systems, as the most recent example. However, the trains were not displayed as "canceled" at the stops that were omitted. In Dresden-Plauen, for example, a large number of passengers were waiting "without the prospect of a ride" because all RE trains were displayed as running. According to the railroad company, a personal accident near Muldenhütten was the cause of the detour.

Pro Bahn: not individual cases, but a recurring pattern

"We are currently experiencing a systemic failure of passenger information," said Pro Bahn regional chairman Markus Haubold: "It's not about individual cases, but a recurring pattern: displays are not correct, apps show incorrect data and there is often no reliable information on the ground. This is simply unacceptable for passengers."

Inadequate information on the trains themselves

Another point of criticism concerns inadequate information on the trains themselves. "The situation in the vehicles is particularly annoying at DB Regio," emphasized Michael Koch, spokesperson for the Dresden region and Vice Federal Director of Pro Bahn. Short-term timetable changes, detour or cancellations are often not displayed on the screens. Instead, you can often see static displays without real-time data or even incorrect information.

Announcements are often inadequate or too late

According to Koch, announcements are also often inadequate or made too late, meaning that passengers are unable to make important decisions - such as changing trains - in good time. In addition, timetable updates in many vehicles are apparently still only updated manually and not remotely - "a situation that is completely out of date in 2026".

Pro Bahn: Regional transport requires strong nerves

"Anyone traveling on regional transport today needs strong nerves. You often can't rely on the information systems, either on the platform or on the train. This should not be the norm in a modern transport system," Koch clarified. The Passenger Rights Ordinance expressly obliges railroad companies to inform passengers of deviations in a timely and appropriate manner.

Pro Bahn does not believe that the railroad companies are solely responsible for this situation. The infrastructure manager, the railroad subsidiary DB InfraGo, must also play its part, particularly in the planning and communication of construction sites. "We see time and again that roadworks are communicated at short notice or inadequately," said Markus Haubold.

"Reliable information is not an additional service, but a core service of public transport," concluded Haubold: "If you want to attract passengers, you first have to make sure that they know when and how their train is running."