Deutsche Bahn will upgrade 800 train stations
Deutsche Bahn plans to allocate 12.2 billion euros in upgrading its infrastructure in 2020. The investments, inter alia, include modernisation of 800 train stations. To provide a better service for passengers, the German railway company will perform construction and maintenance works as will improve accessibility and information systems at the stations.
The investment programme includes major stations such as Dortmund, Hanover, Berlin Zoologischer Garten (Bahnhof Zoo) as well as small and medium-sized points. To this end, DB will spend 1.6 billion euros, around 341 million euros of them will be dedicated to the structural embellishment of stations and reception buildings.
Deutsche Bahn will also continue to improve the accessibility of the stations by raising the platforms, introducing step-free access to them, clearly visible signposting and installing tactile blind guidance systems. Every year, Deutsche Bahn improves accessibility at an average of 100 train stations. As of today, around 78 per cent of 5,700 DB train stations are accessible for the passenger with reduced mobility.
Better information
The other focus of DB’s investments at train stations is the improvement of the passenger information systems. This process started in November 2017 with the installation of the new ‘DB Information’ system at the Nuremberg main station. It includes a giant monitor visible from a distance, self-service terminals, new monitors at the platforms and so on.
In the coming years, the ‘DB Information’ system will be updated at all stations. Currently, it has been already installed at over 70 train stations. In 2020, more stations will be added to this list. Moreover, the new “Voice of the Train Stations” will be inaugurated in the first quarter of this year. It will provide passengers with more understandable announcements on the platforms.
Are you interested to know more about the German rail sector? To this end, ProMedia will carry out RailTech Infra Forum 2020 to take place in Frankfurt on 16-18 June. The programme is available on the event website.
Read also:
