DB wants to close all night trains and car transport train from December 2016!
This horrifying news was released a bit too early (already d. 4.12. in stead of 14.12.). And now it is clear that there is an overall master plan behind DB’s behavior concerning trains with sleeping and couchette cars. The will certainly get rid of them!
DB said already in October 2014 to Die Welt that they would remove night train, Motorail trains and dining cars. But it was not taken seriously at the time.
It looks like a simple plan: There shall not be invested in these services, and trains shall be removed according to the pace carriages runs out of audit (required for overhaul). First was dining cars removed from all night trains. Then a large number of night trains were cancelled at the timetable change in December 2014 at the moment the double-stock sleeper cars had to be repaired. Slightly more wagons fall for revision here in December 2015 (another night train is killed) and finally the last night trains are cancelled at the next timetable change in December 2016 when the vast majority of sleeping and couchette cars is to be inspected.
DB will let some ICE trains run at night and insert several long distance buses. What a terrible alternative!
This has not surprisingly led to an outcry in Germany. Neighboring countries must also protest. Perhaps ÖBB will take over some night trains through Germany, but nobody can expect to ÖBB will assume the DB’s position.
>> See the first article about the case in the Stuttgarter Zeitung (German) from 02.12.
>> See another article on the case (German) later that night 02.12.