[YorickPeterse]

The Netherlands has a very similar problem: the train system was privatized in the late 90s/early 2000s and has been going downhill since the 2010s or so. While it's still better than Deutsche Bahn, it's just so much worse compared to how it used to be.

[apexalpha]

The Dutch train system is not privatised, the government owns 100% of both the tracks and the main carrier: the NS.

[YorickPeterse]

It's very much privatised in the sense that it's operating on a for-profit business model, rather than a for-benefit model.

[thesimon]

Same in Germany and basically all of the EU.

[mcv]

Dutch trains aren't as perfect as the Swiss, but still far, far, better than German trains. I think it was about 20 years ago when NS was ridiculed because of nonsense delays caused by leaves on the track (who would possibly expect that in the autumn?). I think they're better now. And intercity trains leaving every 10 minutes (between Amsterdam and Utrecht) helps a lot.