Catholic entrepreneurs push for Deutsche Bahn privatisation to fix rail chaos

The Federation of Catholic Entrepreneurs (BKU) has called for major changes at Deutsche Bahn. It demands greater private sector involvement and long-term structural reform to improve Germany’s rail system. The group argues that current state control has led to inefficiency and poor performance. Martin Nebeling, federal chairman of the BKU, criticised the government’s inability to run Deutsche Bahn effectively. He highlighted ongoing problems such as poor planning and technical weaknesses in the network. Recent failures, including the nationwide rail shutdown and cost overruns in projects like Stuttgart 21, have worsened public trust.

Thomas Tietz, who leads the BKU’s Energy and Sustainability working group, stressed the need for reliable, high-performance rail infrastructure. The BKU believes mid-sized German businesses could supply innovative solutions to boost efficiency, safety, and capacity on the railways. It also pointed to past successes like Deutsche Telekom, DHL Group, and Lufthansa as proof that privatisation can work.

The organisation insists that privatising Deutsche Bahn would make the sector more competitive. This, it claims, would address the current lack of corporate leadership and improve overall performance. The BKU’s proposals focus on long-term privatisation and private sector participation. It argues that such reforms would resolve existing issues and enhance rail transport for businesses and passengers. The group sees this as the only way to secure a more efficient and reliable railway network.