The Deutsche Bahn AG : Germany

In 1994 the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) and the Deutsche Reichsbahn (RB) were merged and privatized to form the Deutsche Bahn AG. The Federal Government hopes that this structural reform will enable the railways to play a bigger part in the growth of transport systems with only a limited burden on the treasury. Since they are a very environmentally friendly means of transport, the railways will remain indispensable for the movement of bulk goods, the combined rail/road carriage of goods and passenger transport. Modernizing the railway network in the new states alone will cost some DM40 billion.

In 1991, the first high-speed services were introduced in the west. The new ICE trains can travel at speeds of up to 250 km/h. Other high-speed rail services integrated into a European network are planned. The new routes between Hanover, Wiirzburg, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Munich make the railways even more attractive, especially for business travelers. Around the year 2000, moreover, service will be inaugurated on the new high-speed route planned between Cologne and Frankfurt am Main.