Denmark ranks in bottom half of European rail performance, say experts

Denmark’s rail services are performing below the European average, according to transport experts, with only Germany ranking lower in terms of punctuality and reliability. The assessment comes as state rail operator DSB continues to grapple with cancellations and delays, including widespread disruptions on Zealand this week due to damaged overhead lines.

Kristian Madsen, a railway and rolling stock expert at the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA), placed Denmark in the lower half of European rankings—above Germany but behind most other nations. “We’re doing better than Germany, but otherwise, we’re actually in the bottom half,” he told national broadcaster DR.

Otto Anker Nielsen, a professor and head of the Transport Division at DTU Management, offered a slightly more optimistic view, noting that Denmark outperforms countries like Greece, Slovenia, and Romania. “But that’s perhaps just because they’re even worse than Denmark,” he added.

Passenger growth outpaces capacity

Experts attribute many of the current challenges to a mismatch between rising passenger numbers and limited rolling stock. DSB’s 2023 annual report showed a 4% increase in long-distance and regional rail travellers last year, but the fleet of IC3 and IC4 trains—while successful—has proven insufficient to meet demand.

“It’s almost impossible to get a seat,” Madsen said. “If you’re standing 100 kilometres from Copenhagen, you’ll be standing the whole way. That’s essentially the trend today.”

DSB has ordered 153 electric train sets from French manufacturer Alstom, scheduled to enter service as the new IC5 fleet from 2027. However, ongoing infrastructure upgrades—including nationwide electrification and the rollout of a new digital signalling system—have also contributed to disruptions. The signalling system, intended to reduce delays, has instead become “one of the major pain points,” Madsen noted.

Punctuality hits ten-year low

DSB’s customer punctuality—defined as arrivals within three minutes of schedule—for long-distance and regional trains has declined year on year. In 2025, it stood at 73.2%, the worst performance in a decade aside from a single dip in 2021. The operator’s target is 75%.

Nielsen described current punctuality as “very poor” following recent months of setbacks, though he stressed that Denmark still fares better than Germany, where only 55% of long-distance trains arrived within six minutes of schedule in September 2023. “Just because Denmark is better than Germany doesn’t excuse the current situation here,” he said.

Swiss model offers lessons

Both experts highlighted Switzerland as Europe’s top performer, where 94.1% of trains arrived on time last year—a record high. Nielsen pointed to the country’s robust track layouts at major stations and its integrated infrastructure and operations under a single entity, unlike Denmark’s split between DSB (train operations) and Banedanmark (infrastructure).

“There’s a clear signal that where infrastructure and operations share the same owner, there are fewer problems,” Nielsen said, noting that unified control can incentivise costly overnight maintenance to minimise passenger disruptions.

Madsen remained cautiously optimistic about Denmark’s long-term prospects, predicting significant improvements by 2030 once new trains are delivered, electrification is complete, and the signalling system is fully operational. “There’s no doubt that things can get much better,” he said.