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Deutsche Bahn boss Richard Lutz has been sacked. This was announced by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) on Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n
“Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, Deutsche Bahn (DB) Supervisory Board Chairman Werner Gatzer and Dr Richard Lutz reached a mutual agreement in Berlin today to prematurely terminate the CEO’s contract,” said a DB spokesperson.<\/p>\n
“Dr Richard Lutz will continue to be available in an executive capacity until the succession at the top of Deutsche Bahn AG has been settled,” she added.<\/p>\n
In an announcement on Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport’s X account, Schnieder wrote: “It is time for a structural and personnel reorganisation.”<\/p>\n
Lutz’s contract was not scheduled to expire until 2027. However, as it was cancelled prematurely, a severance payment of \u20ac2.84 million is to be expected. Last year, Lutz earned \u20ac1.42 million in fixed remuneration. He also received bonuses totalling around \u20ac700,000.<\/p>\n
Lutz will remain at Deutsche Bahn’s disposal as a managing director until a successor is appointed. He has been a member of the Deutsche Bahn Executive Board since 2010 and Chairman since 2017.<\/p>\n
The search for the right successor could take longer than expected. Several railway experts have rejected the Supervisory Board’s job offer, reports Handelsblatt, citing railway sources.<\/p>\n
The 63-year-old head of the Austrian Federal Railways (\u00d6BB<\/strong><\/a>), Andreas Matth\u00e4, and the former head of the Swiss Federal Office of Transport, Peter F\u00fcglistaler, were among those contacted\u2014without success.<\/p>\n Siemens<\/strong><\/a> Mobility boss Michael Peter is being discussed. South Tyrolean Evelyn Palla, who is in charge of regional transport at Deutsche Bahn, also has a good chance of becoming a possible successor.<\/p>\n Related<\/b><\/p>\n Schnieder will present the new strategy for Deutsche Bahn<\/strong><\/a> on 22 September.<\/p>\n “I have always said strategy first, then personnel,” says Schnieder. “The broad outlines of our concept are in place,” said the transport minister.<\/p>\n In any case, the strategy should be comprehensive. Deutsche Bahn recorded an economic loss of billions in 2024 – a minus of \u20ac1.8 billion, according to the Group.<\/p>\n The net loss in the first half of 2025 was slightly less – around \u20ac760 million. Punctuality in long-distance transport reached a historic low of 62.5% and the infrastructure<\/strong><\/a> is also in poor condition.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n