German infrastructure: Is the efficiency myth being debunked?

2024-06-30 12:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

German infrastructure: Is the efficiency myth being debunked?

Thousands of fans complain about trams or trains in Germany. Photo: Bastian/Caro/picture alliance

The 2024 European Championship, which is taking place in 14 German cities from June 14, excites both German and foreign fans, but problems with the infrastructure, especially those of the German Railway, Deutsche Bahne, dim the magic of the championship. Footage of fans flocking to train stations and claustrophobic scenes on trains have gone viral. Three million fans have traveled on long-distance trains since the start of the Championship, according to Deutsche Bahn. 150,000 employees are engaged, 14 additional trains every day, but this has not helped and the world is seeing with amazement the state of the German infrastructure. Head of the Passenger Association, Pro Bahn. Detlef Neuss sees this as confirmation of the problematic state of the German railway. When the whole world mocks "our railway system, this is a wake-up call for politics", Neuss told the newspaper "Rhenische Post".

Forget everything you think about Germany?

It was the well-known American newspaper "New York Times" that gave a strong blow to the German myth of efficiency after the experiences in the European Championship. A reporter for the popular newspaper wrote after the first days of the European Championship a warning to readers: "Euro 2024 and German efficiency - Forget everything you thought you knew". And the British newspaper "Daily Mail" talked about "terrible scenes", where thousands of fans had to wait for hours early in the morning in Gelsenkirchen for the trams that took them from the Schalke stadium to hotels after the match between England and Serbia. And the "Guardian" wrote that "football does not make sure the trains are punctual, nor does it repair the broken public sector."

German hospitality fades from complaints

Traveling by trains and city buses for some matches of the European Championship is associated with difficulties for fans. Especially after the matches, many fans are surprised at how few means of transport have been made available for the movement of fans.

Thousands of fans complain about trams or trains in Germany. Photo: dts-Agentur/picture alliance

This has brought complaints from fan groups such as Scottish group Atac. We've really been welcomed, fans wrote on their Facebook page, but we've had "bad experiences" with urban traffic. Trains in Munich and Cologne were "very unpunctual and it has been very hot". Fans have also complained about trains that are too full of passengers.

German Railways accepts the criticism

Deutsche Bahn's problems are not new, but during Euro 2024 they became known to the world. The German railway, Deutsche Bahn has reacted after the problems in the rail traffic during the European Football Championship 2024 in Germany. "We understand the fans' displeasure and criticism," Deutsche Bahn board member and head of long-distance transport Michael Peterson told Bild. "Rail currently does not provide the quality that everyone deserves. At the same time, we are doing everything we can to safely get passengers to their destinations," Peterson said.

German Railways - Deutsche Bahn - is the national partner of the European Football Championship 2024. Photo: ActionPictures/IMAGO

European Championship tournament director Philipp Lahm takes criticism of the infrastructure at the European Football Championship seriously. "I think that we as a whole as Germany have neglected to do a bit of infrastructure work over the past decades," Lahm said in Leipzig. At the same time, he promised improvement for the many fans: "We are in contact with Deutsche Bahn, they will continue to do everything to ensure that people get from A to B on time. But this is not a problem that appears now, during the tournament. "We should have worked a long time ago", the 40-year-old Lahm accepted the criticism./ DW