Stuttgart/Berlin (dpa/lsw) - Deutsche Bahn has sold most of its station buildings in recent decades. Since 1999, it has parted with 73 percent of the buildings in Baden-Württemberg, as the Pro-Rail Alliance announced on Thursday. Nationwide it was 81 percent of the buildings. 2824 of 3507 station buildings no longer belong to the state-owned company. "Most of the stations have been sold in the eastern German states," said the association's managing director, Dirk Flege. "In Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Saxony, only every 20th station building belongs to the federal government."
Many reception buildings that have been sold are in unsatisfactory condition and can no longer be used by travelers. In order for more people to switch to the train for climate protection, attractive train stations are necessary. The federal government has neglected its public interest obligation, criticized the Pro-Rail Alliance. The federal and state governments would have to provide financial support to owners if they made the buildings fit for the traffic turnaround.
