The CEO of Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s troubled national rail company, has been fired. State-owned railway plagued by timekeeping, infrastructure issues. Broadcaster Deutsche Welle reports Richard Lutz, who had been CEO since 2017 and had a contract through March 2027, was dismissed by Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder today (Aug. 14, 2025). A DB representative said Lutz would continue as a caretaker executive until a successor is named.
Schnieder said the government will announce a new strategy for the 100% state-owned rail company on Sept. 22, and that he hoped to announce a new CEO at that time, as well. The government installed in May, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has said it plans to restructure the company’s management and address its aging infrastructure.
“Whether in terms of customer satisfaction, punctuality or economic performance, the situation on the railways is dramatic,” Schnieder said. “The railway must be punctual, safer, and clean, and the company must become faster, leaner, more effective, and more economical.”
