Deutsche Bahn alleged to have hindered mobility start-ups

The German Cartel Office has issued a warning to the DB Group for possibly hindering other mobility platforms. According to the authority, this would harm competition.

The German Federal Cartel Office has issued a warning to Deutsche Bahn, the authority announced in a press release. The office had come to the conclusion that "certain practices and contractual clauses of Deutsche Bahn vis-à-vis mobility platforms constitute an abuse of market power."

Mobility platforms allow customers to plan their routes and combine the purchase of tickets for trains and long-distance buses, for example. However, Deutsche Bahn does not provide these platforms with forecast data on delays or cancellations of its trains. "Many of these mobility services would be inconceivable without DB's involvement. That's why we believe that mobility providers, for example, have a right to DB's traffic data such as delays or train cancellations. The business models cannot function otherwise," says Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt.

The proceedings will also address advertising bans and discount bans for third-party providers. In addition, the Cartel Office is investigating possible discrimination against some of the mobility platforms in the level of commission for ticket sales.