Deutsche Bahn braces for passenger surge as Lufthansa slashes 20,000 flights

Airlines cut routes, but trains gain riders. With fares frozen and capacity expanding, Deutsche Bahn is ready for its busiest season yet.

, and Administrator

2026 May 4 . 4:02 AM

1 min read

The image shows an old map of the city of Wien, Germany, with red lines indicating the route of the... — The image shows an old map of the city of Wien, Germany, with red lines indicating the route of the train. The map is printed on a paper with some text written on it.

Deutsche Bahn braces for passenger surge as Lufthansa slashes 20,000 flights

Deutsche Bahn is gearing up for a surge in passengers after Lufthansa announced plans to cancel 20,000 short-haul flights. The move comes as rising fuel costs push travellers towards trains, with bookings already climbing by 10 percent on certain days. Both companies have long worked together to ease connections for passengers switching between air and rail travel. Lufthansa’s decision to cut flights has prompted discussions with Deutsche Bahn about further reductions, particularly on domestic routes. The airline is looking at ways to streamline operations, while the rail operator prepares for higher demand.

Current train occupancy sits at around 40 percent, leaving room for growth. To handle the expected influx, Deutsche Bahn can add extra carriages to long-distance services, instantly boosting capacity by 450 seats—equivalent to three medium-haul planes. The company is also considering special family fares for summer journeys.

Evelyn Palla, CEO of Deutsche Bahn, has confirmed that long-distance fares will stay the same until at least April 2023. Meanwhile, Michael Peterson, the board member overseeing long-distance services, notes that train travel often becomes more attractive when fuel prices rise and driving or flying grows less predictable. The shift from air to rail is already visible, with early booking increases pointing to stronger demand. Deutsche Bahn’s plans to expand capacity and keep fares stable aim to meet this growing interest. The collaboration with Lufthansa ensures smoother transitions for travellers during the busy holiday period.