In terms of service and comfort, the railway companies that operate regional trains in Bavaria last year continued their performance from the pre-Corona years. This is the result of the annual service quality ranking of the Bavarian Railway Company (BEG). On a scale of -100 to +100 points, the 32 regional transport networks evaluated achieved an average of 32.68 points across Bavaria. Compared to the previous year 2022 (46.92 points), the value fell by a good 14 points.
However, it is slightly higher than the value from 2019 (30.25 points), when a similar number of passengers were traveling on regional trains as in 2023. It is therefore in line with the generally positive development from the years before the corona pandemic. The BEG regularly checks the performance of Bavarian railway companies in terms of cleanliness, comfort and customer orientation with the help of external testers and passenger surveys. Punctuality values and train cancellations are not included in the service quality ranking.
They are determined in a separate measurement system and published separately. The Kahlgrund network (DB RegioNetz) was able to confirm its top position from previous years. With 100 out of 100 possible points, the network is again leading the table in 2023 (2022: 100 points). Second place in the ranking is occupied by a newcomer: the Ammersee-Altmühltal network (Bayerische Regiobahn) was able to gain a good 19 points and achieved a total of 74.64 points (2022: 55.33 points). With 65.99 points and third place, the Kissinger Stern network (Erfurter Bahn) was again able to defend its position from the previous year (2022: 93.18 points).
Regardless of the respective points gained or lost, the BEG’s minimum expectations for service quality were exceeded in a total of 27 of the 32 networks evaluated. All railway companies that achieve more than zero points receive corresponding bonus payments from the Free State; those that record negative points must pay a penalty to the Free State.
“Passengers on Bavarian rail transport deserve nothing less than top service. I am therefore pleased that some companies have even been able to improve their services and that the overall quality of service is at a comparatively high level. However, there is still room for improvement in many areas. The results of the ranking must be an incentive for companies to continue to work on their service quality. At the same time, Deutsche Bahn must improve its infrastructure. Because that is also a basic prerequisite for quality,” said Christian Bernreiter (CSU), Bavaria’s Transport Minister and Chairman of the BEG Supervisory Board, commenting on the results.
Bärbel Fuchs, Managing Director of BEG, adds: “It’s obvious: the more people use the train, the more cleanliness suffers, for example, and the more often equipment can be damaged. The industry-wide shortage of staff also remains a challenge. But this must not be at the expense of passengers. After all, one of the original tasks of the railway companies is to ensure that customers experience clean and well-maintained vehicles at all times. Nevertheless, in most networks our high minimum expectations are significantly exceeded. This shows that our measurement and incentive system continues to work very well.”
As part of its service quality measurement system, the BEG has been assessing performance criteria that are the direct responsibility of the railway companies in a uniform manner throughout Bavaria since 2008. The criteria taken into account are the cleanliness of the vehicles, passenger information, the functionality of the equipment, the service orientation of the train attendants and the customer orientation when dealing with complaints. The results of the measurements have a direct financial impact on the operators of the respective networks.
If a company reaches a value of zero, the BEG’s expectations have just been met. Those who exceed this value receive a bonus payment, while those who receive negative points pay a penalty (+100 points = maximum bonus, -100 points = maximum penalty). Punctuality values and train cancellations are not included in the results of the service quality ranking. They are determined using a separate measurement system. There are many reasons for any delays and train cancellations. They are due, among other things, to deficiencies in the rail infrastructure and are therefore not the sole responsibility of the railway companies.
See also: Controlling ensures quality
