• Further increase in the number of passengers and the introduction of the Germany-Ticket are shaping development in the first half of 2023.
• Additional impact from higher costs, especially for energy, as well as strikes and heavy construction on the network.
• Tense personnel situation is leading to train cancellations and is putting additional strain on operating profit development.

The demand recovery trend from the previous year continued in the first half of 2023. The first quarter of 2022 was still negatively impacted by measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the introduction of the Germany-Ticket starting in May 2023 had a positive effect. The omission of the effects of the 9-Euro-Ticket (2022 Integrated Report) in June 2022 had a dampening effect. As a result, the number of passengers and volume sold rose significantly. The slight decline in volume produced resulted mainly from the tender-related transfer of services, the EVG’s strike action and personnel- and construction-related train cancellations.

Economic development improved but remained challenging. Expense increases were more than offset by the positive income development:

• Revenues: Increase as a result of higher revenues from fares due to performance and as a result of higher concession fees. In addition to general increases by contracting organizations, the compensation payments already made for the Germany-Ticket also had an impact here (in the previous year for the 9-Euro-Ticket only in the second half of 2022). Service losses, increased compensation payments as a result of lower operating quality (including due to train cancellations for operational reasons) and the EVG strikes had a dampening effect.
• Other operating income: Significant increase. Positive effects were mainly due to the compensation mechanism of the industry solution for local public transport and higher compensation payments for delayed vehicle deliveries. Supporting effects came from a change in cost allocation as a result of the introduction of the Germany tariff association (countereffect in the cost of materials).

On the expense side, there were additional burdens primarily from price effects and increased maintenance:

• Cost of materials: Increase, mainly as a result of price increases for energy (even taking into account payments from the electricity price brakeµ 6), increased maintenance and increased expenses for substitute rail services due to construction. As a result of tendering losses, expenses for the use of train-paths and stations declined slightly by contrast.
• Other operating expenses: The increase resulted mainly from the implementation of digitalization measures and measures to increase vehicle availability. The Group levy introduced in the first half of 2023 also increased expenses.
• Depreciation: In particular, capital expenditure-related increases from completed vehicle projects.

In contrast, the decrease in personnel expenses had a dampening effect:

• Personnel expenses: The decline due to the loss of one-off payments from collective bargaining agreements in the first half of 2022 is partly offset by a slightly higher average number of employees.

Capital expenditure activities developed in line with the requirements from awarded transport contracts and were considerably higher.

The number of employees was close to the level as of June 30, 2022. An increase due to hiring, especially in the areas of train attendant services, scheduling and maintenance due to regional performance increases and qualification measures, was almost completely offset by reductions due to service losses.

•  The DB Regional Road line of business bundles together the activities of ioki and DB Regional Bus for an integrated mobility offering.
• Performance gains are driving revenue development.

Figures for the first half of 2022 and the first half of 2019 correspond to those published in the Integrated Interim Report 2022 for the DB Regional Bus line of business. Intra-Group transfers had no material effect on key figures.

The clearly positive performance development in bus transport resulted from performance gains in the bus business and the progressive recovery in demand after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The operating profit figures improved significantly. However, the economic situation remains challenging. Performance development and one-off effects had a positive impact on income development:

• Revenue: Primarily performance-related increase. Positive effects also resulted from lower losses of revenues from fares in connection with the Germany-Ticket compared to the 9-Euro-Ticket in the first half of 2022.
• Other operating income: Development in line with the first half of 2022. Lower Government grants (including those from the industry solution for local public transport) were almost completely compensated by an increase that was mainly due to increased services for third parties.

There were additional negative effects on the expense side, mainly from cost of materials and personnel expenses:

• Cost of materials: The increase was mainly due to higher expenses for purchased transport services and maintenance due to price and performance. Expenses for diesel were in line with the first half of 2022. Expense-increasing volume and positive price effects almost completely compensated each other.
• Personnel expenses: The increase is due to the higher average number of employees.
• Depreciation: Capital expenditure-related increase.
• Other operating expenses: Slight increase, mainly as a result of the Group levy introduced in the first half of 2023 and a return to higher travel activity. Lower additions for provisions for impending losses had a largely compensatory effect.

Capital expenditures increased significantly, partly due to catch-up effects.

The number of employees increased due to performance and as a result of the integration of ioki.

•  Sparte DB Regio Straße bündelt für ein integriertes Mobilitätsangebot die Aktivitäten von ioki und DB Regio Bus.
•  Leistungsgewinne treiben die Umsatzentwicklung.

Werte des ersten Halbjahres 2022 und des ersten Halbjahres 2019 entsprechen den im Integrierten Zwischenbericht 2022 veröffentlichten Werten der Sparte Bus von DB Regio. Konzerninterne Umhängungenµ 36 hatten keinen wesentlichen Effekt auf die Kennzahlen.

Die deutlich positive Leistungsentwicklung im Busverkehr resultierte aus Leistungsgewinnen des Geschäftsbereichs Bus und der fortschreitenden Nachfrageerholung nach der Corona-Pandemie.

Die operativen Ergebnisgrößen verbesserten sich deutlich. Die wirtschaftliche Situation bleibt aber herausfordernd. Die Leistungsentwicklung sowie Einmaleffekte wirkten sich positiv auf die Er­­trags­­entwicklung aus:

• Umsatz: v. a. leistungsbedingte Erhöhung. Positive Effekte resultierten zudem aus geringeren Fahrgeldverlusten im Zusammenhang mit dem Deutschland-Ticket im Vergleich zum 9-Euro-Ticket im ersten Halbjahr 2022.
• Sonstige betriebliche Erträge: Entwicklung auf dem Niveau des ersten Halbjahres 2022. Geringere staatliche Zuschüsse (u. a. aus der Branchenlösung für den öffentlichen Personennahverkehr) wurden durch einen Anstieg im Wesentlichen infolge höherer Leistungen für Dritte nahezu vollständig kompensiert.

Auf der Aufwandsseite kam es v. a. im Material- und Personal­aufwand zu zusätzlichen Belastungen:

• Materialaufwand: Anstieg resultierte v. a. aus preis- und leistungsbedingt höheren Aufwendungen für eingekaufte Transportleistungen sowie Instandhaltung. Die Aufwendungen für Diesel lagen auf dem Niveau des ersten Halbjahres 2022. Aufwandserhöhende Mengen- und positive Preiseffekte glichen sich nahezu vollständig aus.
• Personalaufwand: Zunahme aufgrund der höheren durchschnittlichen Mitarbeitendenzahl.
• Abschreibungen: investitionsbedingter Anstieg.
• Sonstige betriebliche Aufwendungen: leichter Anstieg, v. a. infolge der im ersten Halbjahr 2023 eingeführten ­Konzernumlage sowie einer wieder höheren Reise­tätigkeit. Geringere Zuführungen zur Drohverlustrückstellung wirkten weitgehend kompensierend.

Die Investitionen stiegen u. a. aufgrund von Nachholeffekten deutlich an.

Die Mitarbeitendenzahl stieg leistungsbedingt sowie infolge der Integration von ioki an.