Deutsche Bahn sees big windfall from climate change package

Germany's Deutsche Bahn expects the government's 50 billion euro climate change package to generate the railway company's biggest growth spurt in its 180-year history, the state-owned firm's boss said on Sunday. In a telephone press conference, Richard Lutz said the measures announced on Friday, including a cut in value-added tax (VAT) on train tickets, would give it an additional 20 billion euros in revenue by 2030. The company planned to buy 30 new high-speed trains by 2023 to cater for the expected growth in passenger numbers, a one billion euro bonanza for train-building companies.