DB CARGO ANNOUNCES MAJOR RESTRUCTURING AND WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS
DB Cargo announced this week a significant restructuring programme involving the reduction of approximately 6,200 jobs, representing nearly half of its current workforce. The measures aim to restore profitability by the end of 2026, in line with commitments linked to the European Commission’s state aid approval.
The workforce reductions are expected to affect multiple business areas, including operations, dispatching, planning, administration, sales and IT. Within the single wagonload (SWL) segment, around 2,000 positions are set to be cut as part of a broader reorganisation of activities. DB Cargo also plans to concentrate train formation operations at four main locations: Cologne-Bremberg, Seelze, Mannheim and Nuremberg.
The restructuring programme follows several years of financial difficulties at Deutsche Bahn’s rail freight subsidiary. DB Cargo has been under close scrutiny by the European Commission after an investigation concluded that its long-standing profit and loss transfer agreement became unlawful in late 2021. In 2024, the Commission approved €1.9 billion in conditional state aid, requiring DB Cargo to implement a strict restructuring plan, including cost reductions, asset sales and limitations on expansion beyond pre-defined domestic volumes. The deadline for compliance is 31 December 2026.
Despite earlier restructuring efforts launched in 2022, DB Cargo recorded an operating loss of €357 million in 2024. According to statements by CEO Bernhard Osburg, the company also posted losses in 2025 amounting to approximately €40–60 million. Against this backdrop, the revised strategy is built around four pillars: a stronger focus on international markets, cost savings, the reorganisation of the SWL business, and changes to corporate culture.
Source: Railfreight.com