ÖBB Annual Report 2023

Group Management Report 86 Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 41 4. Business line: Tour operators ÖBB enables travel agencies and end customers to book easily via Rail Tours using dynamic travel modules in Austria and Europe. Rail travel as a sustainable and environmentally friendly travel option is always part of the offer. In addition, it offers the option of being combined with hotel accommodation and/or additional tourist offers. Thanks to the option of customising combinations of travel modules, all components of the trip offer individual customer solutions. Growth Rail travel is in vogue and this is also reflected in the number of travellers. In 2023, ÖBB set a new record with approx. 493.6 million passengers. Demand recovered quickly and significantly after the end of the coronavirus measures and with the introduction of the climate ticket. ÖBB also expects an enormous increase in the number of travellers on local, long- distance and night services in the coming years. There is a need to handle this massive growth effectively and at the same time offer a high level of travelling comfort on public rail transport. ÖBB is therefore investing heavily in the modernisation of existing trains and the expansion of the ÖBB fleet with new vehicles. The largest vehicle fleet procurement offensive in history lays the foundation for future success. The first visible sign of this procurement offensive was the first new-generation Nightjets in Europe at the timetable change in December 2023. This has also significantly improved the night train service. Preparations for liberalisation are a key challenge in passenger transport. In this regard, strategies are being developed to prepare ÖBB for changing market conditions. It is not only within Austria however that activities are being taken towards market liberalisation. ÖBB entered the German local rail passenger transport market with the acquisition of Go-Ahead Verkehrsgesellschaft Deutschland GmbH on 01.02.2024. ÖBB is also increasingly focussing on being perceived as a holistic mobility provider. ÖBB is increasingly organising other means of transport in addition to bus and rail from a single source to enable door-to-door mobility. Particularly in suburban and rural areas, it is important to organise journeys to and from the larger mobility hubs. For example, ÖBB currently offers rental cars, rental scooters, rental bikes and shuttle services – also via the central routing and booking platform “wegfinder”. These services are intended to make car ownership obsolete, especially in (sub)urban and rural areas. Profitability ÖBB is currently facing massive cost increases. High inflation rates and the associated indexation have a noticeable impact on all areas. Massive price increases for fuel and energy are having a negative impact on the corresponding cost items. The valorisation of wages and salaries also leads to significantly higher expenses in this area. Likewise, the prices of planned and ordered new vehicles are affected by the price increases due to material price indexation. At the same time, interest rate adjustments on the market lead to changed conditions when taking out debt financing and to higher interest charges. ÖBB focuses on measures to optimise cost structures and to streamline and digitalise processes in order to maintain and strengthen profitability, with lean management methods being a key instrument. Ziel ist es, Ineffizienz zu vermeiden und somit die Optimierung des Ressourceneinsatzes kontinuierlich zu steigern. Operational excellence Reliability and high quality leadership are the cornerstones of success. As a mobility service provider, ÖBB develops offers services along the entire customer journey from a single source and ensures that these offers address customer needs. It remains crucial for ÖBB to take targeted measures across the Group to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty among existing customers and the acquisition of new customers. The most important satisfaction criteria – such as the services provided by employees (personal advice at the counter / assistance during the journey), safety, cleanliness and information in general – continue to show good to very good scores in the annual customer satisfaction survey. It is nevertheless essential that the organisation continues to focus strongly on customer needs. | MR41