Euro 2024 chaos: Deutsche Bahn's delays fuel fan frustration

Punctual as a German train? During Euro 2024, the local railway became synonymous with delays and organisational problems. The national carrier, Deutsche Bahn, encounters daily mishaps that drive fans mad. Austrian fans only reached their national team's match in the 70th minute of the game.

Deutsche Bahn's problems - the German railway have been discussed for a long time. Last summer, when the Allensbach Institute of Demoscopy asked Germans what came to mind when thinking of the German railway, as many as 88% of respondents pointed to the word "unpunctuality." Respondents also complained about high prices and unreliability.

Everyone hoped that in connection with Euro 2024, Deutsche Bahn would undergo a metamorphosis and meet the expectations of Germans, foreign fans, and UEFA itself. Today, German media are writing about the disgrace of Deutsche Bahn.

Travellers complain mainly about delays (which can last several hours) and a lack of sufficient connections. Problems also include shortened train formations (there are too few carriages on the route, meaning some people have to book tickets for the next train) and closed restaurant carriages, which affect the comfort of travel.

Interia describes that the German railway caused trouble for hundreds of Austrian fans who reached the Austria-France game 70 minutes late. All because the train they were travelling on ended its journey just after crossing the German border. Issues with replacement services followed, and the train from Nuremberg to Dusseldorf was cancelled.

Due to railway problems, Philipp Lahm, a former German national team star and one of the tournament ambassadors, was also late for the match between Ukraine and Slovakia.

According to "Die Zeit," during Euro 2024, "Germans are embarrassing themselves in the eyes of their European neighbours". Journalists are calling for profound changes in the railway system.