Deutsche Bahn not to be privatised before 2010

Germany's Deutsche Bahn would not comment on information from group circles according to which a privatisation will not be possible before 2010, LOGISTICS FINLAND reported. Due to the economic crisis, Deutsche Bahn will have to draw up a new financial budget for the period from 2009 to 2013. The current plan according to which Deutsche Bahn aimed to boost annual profit from more than EUR 2.5bn (USD 3.19bn) in 2008 to clearly more than EUR 3bn by 2013 is no longer valid as the group is impacted by the crisis. It is understood that the new financial plan will not be available before May 2009. Deutsche Bahn CEO Hartmut Mehdorn thus has to defer his plan to find private investors for Deutsche Bahn as potential investors will need a solid financial budget before they acquire stakes in Deutsche Bahn directly from the German government.

Earlier on, the German government had stopped the original plan for an IPO of Deutsche Bahn due to the financial crisis.

Source: Transportweekly