About us

About us

DB Group is a leading provider in the mobility and logistics sector, and primarily consists of the integrated rail system and the two major international subsidiaries DB Schenker and DB Arriva. The integrated rail system includes our passenger transport activities in Germany, our rail freight transport activities, the operating service units, and the rail infrastructure companies (RIC) in Germany. DB Group, with its head office in Berlin, employs about 340,000 people. Our business operations are focused on rail transport in Germany.

Our primary concern is the shift from road traffic to climate-friendly rail. To this end, we rely on integrated operation of transport and railway infrastructure, the economically and environmentally intelligent linkage of all modes of transport, as well as cooperation in German and European networks. We operate Europe’s longest rail network and are also one of the largest energy suppliers in Germany. Our national and international services give us leading market positions in our relevant markets.

Deutsche Bahn AG (DB AG) is the parent company of DB Group. It has been a stock corporation under German law since it was founded in 1994 and accordingly has a dual management and control structure comprising a Management Board and a Supervisory Board. The changes in the composition of the Supervisory Board and the Management Board are presented in the report of the Supervisory Board. The Federal Government is the sole owner of DB AG.

In DB Group, DB AG runs all business units as an operating management holding company and supports the business units through various central governance functions and DB Business Services. In addition, DB Operational Services primarily provide services to intra-Group customers as legally independent shareholdings of DB AG. DB Group RIC are legally independent companies with separate balance sheets and statements of income, and thus fulfill all unbundling requirements under European and national law. There is also a functional unbundling, which guarantees the independence of decisions by DB Netz AG in relation to infrastructure access and charges. Reliability and stability form the basis of high-quality infrastructure. The essential  cornerstones for profitable business are sustainable financing of the existing infrastructure and its expansion as required. The Performance and Financing Agreement (LuFV) makes a significant contribution to ensuring the maintenance of the existing network.

DB Group focuses on the business operations of the integrated rail system. 

Given the importance of Strong Rail for Europe, Europe will continue to be the main field of action for DB Group in future. Large international investments are measured by the contribution to the Strong Rail:

  • Strategically relevant subsidiaries such as DB Schenker will therefore continue to be held as financial investments. Joint operational initiatives focus on achieving synergies within the integrated network.
  • DB Arriva only accounts for a small amount of operational and strategic added value in Strong Rail. There are currently no significant synergies with the integrated rail system on the customer, production or product side. The Group therefore still intends to sell the company.

Organizational structure

Deutsche Bahn AG (DB AG) is the parent company of DB Group. It has been a stock corporation under German law since it was founded in 1994 and accordingly has a dual management and control structure comprising a Management Board and a Supervisory Board. It is wholly owned by the Federal Republic of Germany (Federal Government).

Deutsche Bahn Group

Management Board

CEO and Chairman

Digitalization and Technology

Human Resources and Legal Affairs

Finance and Logistics

Passenger Transport

Regional Transport

Freight Transport

Infrastructure

Business units

DB Schenker

DB Schenker serves established markets and emerging national economies as an integrated transport and logistics services provider with a global network:

  • In land transport, the network connects the most important economic regions in Europe. Services include time- and cost-optimized services for transporting general cargo, partial and full load transport along with door-to-door solutions across Europe. Land transport in America is becoming an increasingly important area of activity. n addition to serving the North American markets, activities in South America are being expanded. DB Schenker is also continuously expanding its land transport business in the growth market of Asia.
  • As one of the global leaders in air and ocean freight, DB Schenker offers the entire range of services in this segment
  • In contract logistics, the services offered cover all stages of the value-added chain from supplier and producer/trade to end customers and spare parts service. The core area of expertise is the planning and handling of complex global supply chains, including sustainable logistics concepts.

DB Schenker has a global customer base in a wide range of industries and a focus on industrial customers.

DB Arriva

DB Arriva focuses on transport services with buses and trains. The activities of DB Arriva are divided into three lines of business: UK Bus, UK Trains and Mainland Europe.

Volume sold and volume produced are important key performance figures. In addition to revenues from fares, subsidies are an important source of income. Commercial revenue is predominantly generated via ticket sales/fares; however, we also generate revenue from private hire in many markets that complement commercial operations.

DB Long-Distance

DB Long-Distance offers customers comfortable and environmentally friendly travel within Germany and into neighboring countries. Regularly scheduled daily services with the ICE/ Intercity/EC fleet form the backbone of long-distance transport. Offerings are being expanded by island services to Sylt and Wangerooge.

Employees, a modern vehicle fleet and a high-quality infrastructure are decisive for success. This is why intragroup infrastructure companies and service providers as well as the vehicle industry are important partners. Furthermore, cooperation with partner railways is very important for cross-border connections.

DB Regional

The core service of DB Regional is to bring millions of passengers in regional transport to their destination every day in a punctual, safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly manner, and in doing so, to meet the requirements of the respective transport contract.
The services of DB Regional cover both regional rail passenger transport with regional express, regional railway and S-Bahn (metro)lines as well as regional and urban bus transport services. We therefore offer passengers comprehensive mobility services in major cities and metropolitan areas, but also especially in rural areas. Our regional organizational structure guarantees local transport services oriented toward the requirements of our local customers.

DB Cargo

With around 4,200 sidings and additional services in 17 European countries, DB Cargo offers its customers access to one of the world's largest rail networks, extending as far as China, making it the number one in European rail freight transport. In its international network,

  • DB Cargo carries out transports of freight wagons and groups of freight cars in single wagon transport,
  • DB Cargo enables transport chains for containers or truck trailers belonging to shipping companies and freight forwarders using multiple modes of transport in combined transport, and,
  • DB Cargo operates direct connections from from siding-to-siding in block train transport.

In addition to pure transport services, DB Cargo creates individual solutions with additional logistics services for its customers.

DB InfraGO

On January 1, 2024, DB Netz AG and DB Station&Service AG were merged to form a common good-oriented rail infrastructure company. DB Netz AG now operates under the name DB InfraGO AG; the name InfraGO is an abbreviation for “Infrastruktur GemeinwohlOrientiert” (common good-oriented infrastructure). DB InfraGO AG remains part of DB Group. The activities of the previous business units DB Netze Track and DB Netze Stations have been managed in the new business unit DB InfraGO since the 2024 financial year.

DB Energy

DB Energy offers industry-standard energy products related to traction energy and stationary energy supply. As well as traction current and diesel, these also include supply solutions for alternative drives and synthetic fuels in rail transport. Stations and other DB Group properties are supplied with electricity, gas and heat. Private customers throughout Germany are also offered a certified eco-power supply. The range of services is rounded out with energy economics-related and technical services.

The traction current grid is the technical backbone of traction power provision in Germany, for which DB Energy as the network operator ensures a high level of supply reliability.

Additional
information

Business units

DB Schenker

DB Schenker serves established markets and emerging national economies as an integrated transport and logistics services provider with a global network:

  • In land transport, the network connects the most important economic regions in Europe. Services include time- and cost-optimized services for transporting general cargo, partial and full load transport along with door-to-door solutions across Europe. Land transport in America is becoming an increasingly important area of activity. n addition to serving the North American markets, activities in South America are being expanded. DB Schenker is also continuously expanding its land transport business in the growth market of Asia.
  • As one of the global leaders in air and ocean freight, DB Schenker offers the entire range of services in this segment
  • In contract logistics, the services offered cover all stages of the value-added chain from supplier and producer/trade to end customers and spare parts service. The core area of expertise is the planning and handling of complex global supply chains, including sustainable logistics concepts.

DB Schenker has a global customer base in a wide range of industries and a focus on industrial customers.

DB Arriva

DB Arriva focuses on transport services with buses and trains. The activities of DB Arriva are divided into three lines of business: UK Bus, UK Trains and Mainland Europe.

Volume sold and volume produced are important key performance figures. In addition to revenues from fares, subsidies are an important source of income. Commercial revenue is predominantly generated via ticket sales/fares; however, we also generate revenue from private hire in many markets that complement commercial operations.

DB Long-Distance

DB Long-Distance offers customers comfortable and environmentally friendly travel within Germany and into neighboring countries. Regularly scheduled daily services with the ICE/ Intercity/EC fleet form the backbone of long-distance transport. Offerings are being expanded by island services to Sylt and Wangerooge.

Employees, a modern vehicle fleet and a high-quality infrastructure are decisive for success. This is why intragroup infrastructure companies and service providers as well as the vehicle industry are important partners. Furthermore, cooperation with partner railways is very important for cross-border connections.

DB Regional

The core service of DB Regional is to bring millions of passengers in regional transport to their destination every day in a punctual, safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly manner, and in doing so, to meet the requirements of the respective transport contract.
The services of DB Regional cover both regional rail passenger transport with regional express, regional railway and S-Bahn (metro)lines as well as regional and urban bus transport services. We therefore offer passengers comprehensive mobility services in major cities and metropolitan areas, but also especially in rural areas. Our regional organizational structure guarantees local transport services oriented toward the requirements of our local customers.

DB Cargo

With around 4,200 sidings and additional services in 17 European countries, DB Cargo offers its customers access to one of the world's largest rail networks, extending as far as China, making it the number one in European rail freight transport. In its international network,

  • DB Cargo carries out transports of freight wagons and groups of freight cars in single wagon transport,
  • DB Cargo enables transport chains for containers or truck trailers belonging to shipping companies and freight forwarders using multiple modes of transport in combined transport, and,
  • DB Cargo operates direct connections from siding-to-siding in block train transport.

In addition to pure transport services, DB Cargo creates individual solutions with additional logistics services for its customers.

DB InfraGO

On January 1, 2024, DB Netz AG and DB Station&Service AG were merged to form a common good-oriented rail infrastructure company. DB Netz AG now operates under the name DB InfraGO AG; the name InfraGO is an abbreviation for “Infrastruktur GemeinwohlOrientiert” (common good-oriented infrastructure). DB InfraGO AG remains part of DB Group. The activities of the previous business units DB Netze Track and DB Netze Stations have been managed in the new business unit DB InfraGO since the 2024 financial year.

DB Energy

DB Energy offers industry-standard energy products related to traction energy and stationary energy supply. As well as traction current and diesel, these also include supply solutions for alternative drives and synthetic fuels in rail transport. Stations and other DB Group properties are supplied with electricity, gas and heat. Private customers throughout Germany are also offered a certified eco-power supply. The range of services is rounded out with energy economics-related and technical services.

The traction current grid is the technical backbone of traction power provision in Germany, for which DB Energy as the network operator ensures a high level of supply reliability.

DB Group offers attractive, customer-focused and environmentally friendly mobility, transport and logistics solutions and networks from a single source. We utilize the possibilities of digital technologies to improve our operational and administrative processes, to consistently further develop offers for the customer, to integrate new services, and to simplify the customer interface. The integrated rail system μ55 is at the heart of our business activities. In addition, we are gradually expanding our business portfolio in the area of mobility and logistics in order to meet our customers’ needs more effectively and respond to new market demands.

  • Our passenger transport activities have a broad base. In addition to bus and rail transport, this also includes intelligent links with other modes of transport such as cars and bicycles, but also with new forms of mobility that complement the core business and enable door-to-door mobility. We offer long-distance rail passenger transport within Germany and into neighboring countries. DB Arriva has a Europe-wide presence in regional and local transport, enabling participation in the increasing market potential in opening bus and rail transport markets.
  • Our business activities in the freight transport and logistics market were moved to an international platform very early on. DB Cargo and DB Schenker operate predominantly in the business-to-business segment. We offer our customers industry-specific solutions in European rail freight transport and global land transport, in global air and ocean freight, and in global contract logistics. Covering all relevant modes of transport allows us to offer complex combined logistics services and to make use of synergies in our networks for the benefit of our customers.

There are five key success factors in the development of DB Group, which are a central component of our business model.

  • Corporate social responsibility: As a federal provider of mobility and logistics solutions, DB Group has a major responsibility for the future of our country. As the backbone of the green and networked mobility of the future, rail plays a key role for our country: it helps to achieve climate targets, it promotes integration and quality of life, and it strengthens the business location, as well as empowering Europe’s people and economy. Society as a whole benefits from strong rail transport. We consistently focus our business operations on achieving Strong Rail and prioritize our activities along the value-added chain to that effect.
  • Entrepreneurial approach to business: In the course of the German rail reform, DB Group has established itself as a commercial enterprise. This includes, in particular, the establishment of a modern and efficient organization and the establishment of value-oriented corporate management.
  • Integrated Group: As a system integrator in Germany, we are optimizing the integrated rail system as a whole. In doing so, we are fulfilling our important role as a technological pioneer. The integrated Group structure enables us to achieve positive synergies and align our infrastructure to support efficiency, market orientation and profitability. The digitalization of rail can only be successfully developed and implemented in the integrated rail system. Our customers also benefit from the integrated Group. Thanks to the economically, environmentally and technologically intelligent links between different modes of transport, we offer our customers door-to-door mobility and logistics solutions from a single source.
  • Europe as the field of action: Strong Rail reaches beyond Germany. As the geographical and economic heart of Europe, Germany has a special responsibility for the future of the continent. Given the importance of a strong rail system for Europe, Europe will continue as our main field of action in future. In order to take into account the customers’ need for cross-border solutions, we continue to position ourselves at European level with our passenger transport activities. Thanks to the European and worldwide orientation of our freight transport and logistics activities, we offer our customers the access they need to global networks.
  • Digitalization: We use the technologies and methods of digitalization to offer customers an attractive range of products. This means, on the one hand, that we are incorporating new transport offers into our product portfolio, such as on-demand mobility, and establishing new platforms for our customer interfaces. On the other hand, we support our internal processes with technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), so that we can continue to offer customers a reasonable price level with efficient processes.
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