Safety
Security on trains and in stations
Every major station in Germany will be equipped with modern video technology by the end of 2024. This corresponds to around 11,000 video cameras. More than 500 new cameras were installed at five stations in the first half-year of 2023. These cameras supplement the technical equipment and also provide more high-resolution images as well as an advance in the level of quality. The live images of the cameras are used by DB Group employees to schedule in stations and to protect our rights as the owner of the premises. Only the Federal police will have access to the recordings from the cameras. Therefore, video technology is taking on an increasingly prominent role in providing information about criminal acts and identifying perpetrators. The number of video cameras in local transport and S-Bahn (metro) trains has also been significantly increased. With more than 50,000 video cameras, around 70% of the vehicles have been fitted with video recording equipment, which is a considerable increase of almost 5,000 cameras since the end of 2022.
Practical test of components to increase technical safety
“More security for users of the railway system.” This was the task assigned in 2019 to the Technical Safety Working Group in which representatives of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community and the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport, as well as DB AG and the Federal police, have, since 2019, drawn up structural, staff and organizational measures that, with scientific guidance, have been tested for feasibility. In the meantime, under the “Train station safety” project, trials such as illuminated platform edges and an app for calling for help have been tested by customers within a station.
Security personel: greater presence and more staff for the infrastructure
The DB Group security concept provides for a continuous increase in the presence of our own security personnel. The first of up to 500 additional security personnel will, above all, provide greater protection to the rail infrastructure from 2023.
More staff for prevention work
The six nationwide prevention teams carried out more than 180 prevention deployments in the first half-year of 2023. The prevention teams are deployed at stations, railway crossings and freight yards if, for example, unauthorized track crossings increase. They also visit schools and youth organizations, raising awareness about the risks at railroad facilities and give children and young people information about measures for safe travel. In close cooperation with the prevention staff of the Federal police, the prevention experts of DB Group work on local prevention projects and in nationwide campaigns. To be even more present in prevention work in the future, the number of prevention experts has been doubled from 12 to 24.
24/7 threat management
In the first half of 2023, our threat management (2022 Integrated Report) provided support to affected persons and reporters in around 30 cases. The number of those affected who needed longer-term support remained roughly constant. However, the number of contacts in which problem situations were resolved in single conversations, increased. Support ranges from initial anonymous empathetic dialog to the provision of qualified psychological or medical assistance.
Safe travel building block
The new Corporate Security Platform (CSP) is central for improving the safety of our employees. Since January 2023, the CSP at DB Netze Track and DB Cargo has enabled the simple and fast detection of safety incidents. A timely identification of hotspots and critical locations can thus take place. Since July 2023, the new system has been used by safety staff at DB Security and by rail employees at DB Regional and DB Long-Distance, as well as by service employees at DB Netze Stations.
A further component will be the Prio-Ruf (emergency service/call for assistance) app. The IT tool lets employees call for assistance at the push of a button if they are in a threatening situation. We are thus increasing the feeling of safety by contact with the deployment control team, with the aim of providing faster help with the intervention of our safety staff and the involvement of the Federal police. The first half-year of 2023 saw the start of concept preparations for a pilot scheme at DB Regional. The pilot will be launched in the second half-year of 2023 with around 100 customer care representatives on local transport of DB Regional in the central region.
Further progress has also been made by DB Group in dialog with policymakers and contracting organizations. The aim is to create uniform industry-wide safety standards for trains and stations and to anchor them in a uniform and binding manner in the tenders for transport contracts, irrespective of the competition for the actual volume sold.