Deutsche Bahn

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Deutsche Bahn AG
Type	Private Company
Founded	1 January 1994
Headquarters	Berlin, Germany
Key people	Hartmut Mehdorn, president
Industry	Rail transport
Products	Rail transport, Cargo transport, Services, more...
Revenue	€ ? billion (2006)
Operating income	€ ? billion (2006)
Net income	€ ? billion (2006)
Employees	229,000 (2006)
Subsidiaries	DB Fernverkehr DB Regio Railion Schenker Bax Global DB Station+Service more...
Website	DB - Corporate web site Tickets - Timetable

Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railways; abbreviated DBAG or simply DB) is Germany's main railway operator, providing passenger and freight services. The successor of the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of the former East Germany, it has operated since 1 January 1994. In its advertising materials, DB refers to itself as Die Bahn, which in German means literally "the course" or "the path" but is used in this case as a synonym for "the railway" (Bahn abbreviated from Eisenbahn). The headquarters is located in Berlin. The Deutsche Bahn is the world's largest transportation company.

Contents 1 Corporate structure 2 Chief executives of Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Bahn AG 3 Current operations 4 Codeshare with airlines 5 Rolling stock 6 See also 7 Notes 8 External links

[edit] Corporate structure

DB is a private limited company whose shares are held by the German federal government. In November 2006 the cabinet of the chancellor Angela Merkel has agreed to partly privatize it by 2009. Investors are to be offered a minority stake whereas the government will remain owner of the 34,000 kilometres of track and the stations over which Deutsche Bahn will have contractual rights of use. The privatisation bill is expected to be drafted by the end of March 2007. ^[1]

DB AG has been divided into various branches in the past; as these are regularly renamed and new companies are formed, it is rather difficult to get a complete overview of the corporate structure.

The most important subdivisions are:

• DB Fernverkehr (previously DB Reise&Touristik): operates long-distance trains, restaurant cars and food service inside stations
• DB Regio: operates short and medium distance trains as well as commuter services
• Railion (previously DB Cargo)
• Schenker: road haulage, air- & seafreight, logistics, fairs, removals, specials
• Bax Global: road haulage, air & seafreight, logistics
• DB Netz: manages the railway network
• DB Station+Service: manages station buildings, ticket sales and general service
• DB AutoZug: operates long distance trains which carry passenger's cars as well
• DB ZugBus: provides bus services and owns many smaller bus companies
• BRG (Bahnreinigungsgesellschaft): provides cleaning services
• BSG (Bahnschutzgesellschaft): employs safety patrol personnel for railway stations and trains, mostly at night
• DB Immobilien: manages all real estate
• DB Fuhrpark: owns all corporate cars

[edit] Chief executives of Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Bahn AG

• Heinz Maria Oeftering (1957-1972)
• Wolfgang Vaerst (1972-1982)
• Reiner Gohlke (1982-1990)
• Heinz Dürr (1991-1997)
• Johannes Ludewig (1997-1999)
• Hartmut Mehdorn (1999-present)

[edit] Current operations

With the German rail network being the second most dense in the world (only surpassed by Switzerland), DB has a quasi-monopoly on most passenger services. While there are more than 300 independent freight operators competing with Railion, DB's freight branch, there is less competition in local passenger services, although an increasing number of lines see services from competitors like Prignitzer Eisenbahn or NordWestBahn as their service leases are renewed by the local governments. Long-distance passenger competition, on the other hand, is practically nil except for the InterConnex trains in eastern Germany.

DB operates InterCityExpress and InterCity trains to nearly any major city in the country, with ICE trains going to Switzerland, Austria, The Netherlands and Belgium. Another service to France is going to be established in 2007.

[edit] Codeshare with airlines

In conjunction with American Airlines, Emirates, and Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn operates rail services (AiRail Service) between Frankfurt International Airport and Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Freiburg, Hamburg, Hanover, Mannheim, Munich, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart. Deutsche Bahn has the IATA designator 2A.

[edit] Rolling stock

[edit] See also

• DB Fernverkehr
• DB NachtZug
• DB Regio
• Transportation in Germany
• Rail transport in Germany
• History of rail transport in Germany
• German steam locomotive classification
• Numbering scheme of the German railways

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• DB - Corporate web site
• DB - Web site for travellers, including a rail travel planner for all Europe, including the Trans-Siberian railway
• A Website giving English explanations and examples of German Railway signalling systems
• Map