DSB 2024 passenger traffic already up 7 per cent
Denmark’s national rail operator, Danske Statsbaner (DSB), has kicked off 2024 on a high note, with the first two months of the year witnessing a notable surge in train journeys. According to data released by DSB, January and February recorded a combined total of 26.9 million trips, marking a substantial 7 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2023.
Jens Visholm, Commercial Director at DSB, expressed optimism about the trend, stating, “We are currently experiencing great growth in both regional traffic, travel across the Great Belt, and S-trains. It is positive that more customers are choosing the train, and we expect the trend to continue in 2024,” says Commercial Director at DSB, Jens Visholm. The upward trajectory in customer numbers from the previous year is expected to persist. In 2023, DSB logged a total of 162 million journeys, representing a 9 per cent uptick from 2022 figures, adjusted for transmitted traffic.
S-trains still riding high
Notably, Copenhagen’s S-trains have emerged as a significant draw for new passengers, with the number of journeys by S-train increasing by 1.4 million so far in 2024. Sunday, January 14, saw an unprecedented surge in S-train passengers, with over 240,000 commuters, a staggering 90,000 more journeys than a typical Sunday.
Even excluding the special event, S-trains have consistently witnessed higher passenger numbers compared to the previous year. Furthermore, S-trains have maintained exceptionally high punctuality rates, exceeding 96 per cent thus far in 2024. Punctuality is measured by the percentage of customers arriving within 2 minutes and 59 seconds of the scheduled arrival time.
Punctuality despite snowstorms
Despite challenges such as the snowstorm early in January, punctuality in long-distance and regional train services has surpassed the target of 75 per cent. February saw punctuality rates reach 81.3 per cent. The ongoing extensive infrastructure work, including electrification, implementation of a new signalling system, and rail renewal projects across Denmark, has posed periodic challenges to punctuality in long-distance and regional services.
Commenting on the overall performance, Visholm remarked, “Overall, we have got off to a good start to the year, and after some challenges with the weather at the start of the year, overall we are well above the target for long-distance and regional trains. When we look at S-trains, it is quite simply in a class of its own when compared to similar urban railways in the world.”
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