Deutsche Bahn boss Richard Lutz fired: Who will be his successor?

Deutsche Bahn boss Richard Lutz has been sacked. This was announced by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) on Thursday afternoon.

“Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder, Deutsche Bahn (DB) Supervisory Board Chairman Werner Gatzer and Dr Richard Lutz reached a mutual agreement in Berlin today to prematurely terminate the CEO’s contract,” said a DB spokesperson.

“Dr Richard Lutz will continue to be available in an executive capacity until the succession at the top of Deutsche Bahn AG has been settled,” she added.

In an announcement on Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport’s X account, Schnieder wrote: “It is time for a structural and personnel reorganisation.”

Lutz’s contract was not scheduled to expire until 2027. However, as it was cancelled prematurely, a severance payment of €2.84 million is to be expected. Last year, Lutz earned €1.42 million in fixed remuneration. He also received bonuses totalling around €700,000.

Lutz will remain at Deutsche Bahn’s disposal as a managing director until a successor is appointed. He has been a member of the Deutsche Bahn Executive Board since 2010 and Chairman since 2017.

The search for the right successor could take longer than expected. Several railway experts have rejected the Supervisory Board’s job offer, reports Handelsblatt, citing railway sources.

The 63-year-old head of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), Andreas Matthä, and the former head of the Swiss Federal Office of Transport, Peter Füglistaler, were among those contacted—without success.

Siemens Mobility boss Michael Peter is being discussed. South Tyrolean Evelyn Palla, who is in charge of regional transport at Deutsche Bahn, also has a good chance of becoming a possible successor.

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Schnieder will present the new strategy for Deutsche Bahn on 22 September.

“I have always said strategy first, then personnel,” says Schnieder. “The broad outlines of our concept are in place,” said the transport minister.

In any case, the strategy should be comprehensive. Deutsche Bahn recorded an economic loss of billions in 2024 – a minus of €1.8 billion, according to the Group.

The net loss in the first half of 2025 was slightly less – around €760 million. Punctuality in long-distance transport reached a historic low of 62.5% and the infrastructure is also in poor condition.