DB Cargo: Güterverkehr der Bahn wird auch 2026 Verluste machen
Der kriselnde Güterverkehr der Deutschen Bahn muss ab diesem Jahr wieder schwarze Zahlen schreiben - sonst drohen Konsequenzen der EU. Das wird das Unternehmen voraussichtlich aber nicht schaffen.
DB Cargo, the freight division of Deutsche Bahn, is set to record losses again in 2026, according to the company's own statements. This is despite the European Union's requirements for the firm to achieve a "black figure" of profit by the same year. The losses are primarily due to one-off write-offs totaling around 260 million euros, stemming from a British subsidiary up for sale, as revealed by DB Cargo CEO Bernhard Osburg.
These write-offs have significantly impacted the freight division's earnings, he explained. Consequently, DB Cargo is expected to struggle to meet the black figure target in 2026. The company must therefore resume negotiations with the EU. The commission had previously imposed a comprehensive restructuring plan on the conglomerate, aiming to make it profitable from 2026 onwards.
This plan includes reducing around 6,200 full-time positions in Germany out of a total of 14,000. However, DB Cargo CEO Bernhard Osburg also plans to shift the focus towards European transportation. Nevertheless, this process is causing delays, as the current restructuring plan, largely focused on Germany, needs to be expanded to the entire European business, encompassing 16 foreign subsidiaries, Osburg emphasized.
He stressed that the process of identifying which of these companies will be crucial for implementing the European strategy is underway. Progress in Germany appears to be on track, with the company having narrowly missed its loss target last year, with an EBIT report showing a loss of 58 million euros.
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