Closer than ever before
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#1 | A look into the crystal ball – where is the City-Bahn heading?
09.09.2026––In our pilot episode, "Closer than ever before" – our City-Bahn podcast – Ricardo Rohr (adviser to the Operations Division) talks to our Managing Director, Friedbert Straube, and our Commercial Division Head, Torsten Barth, about City-Bahn’s current financial situation and the impact this is already beginning to have on the next two financial years. Of course, the discussion also touches on the day-to-day concerns and challenges faced by our colleagues in their everyday operations. After all, it is Ricardo’s job to look after precisely these matters. Here in the podcast, he is able to raise these issues directly with our boss on behalf of everyone. Enjoy listening, and please do let us know what you think of the new format!
Everyone rides the City-Bahn.
On 22 January 2026 our entire team was in the spotlight. Because when we write the script for the future of our city railway, every colleague takes on a leading role. So there was no shortage of glamour, popcorn and a red carpet. Premiere feeling - for our vision and the accompanying film, which is intended to make the idea and the goal tangible in special images.
The message: „Everyone rides the city railway“
All City-Bahner were invited and many of you did not miss the live event. Thank you for your openness and support!
But let's start from the beginning.
Why this appointment? Why now? Why together? And what exactly is a vision?
Our vision is like the North Star for a sailor: It gives us orientation and shows us the way. Deliberately formulated in utopian terms, we will probably never be able to achieve them in full. But it shows us at all times what we are striving for, what aspirations and values we are pursuing and what we want to achieve as a team.
Our vision does not pursue profit maximisation - it describes our service claim as a quasi-ideal state. This is what the world should look like if we are successful as a company. All our business decisions depend on it, and so does the organisation of our work. Our vision is our dream of the future. It does not tell us what we need to do today or tomorrow, but it shows us where we see ourselves in 10, 20 or 30 years' time so that we can align our actions accordingly.
Why a vision at all?
Of course, service by the book also works without vision. But that must not be enough for us, because then there is no joint development. Instead of a clear goal, the feeling would quickly arise that everyone is working „for themselves“ without a common direction. In the worst case scenario, this leads to stagnation and frustration - first for ourselves and then later for our passengers. Our vision creates such a necessary connection and sets the focus. „Everyone rides the city railway“ sounds simple, but offers so much scope to implement all your ideas and bring them to life in the end.
Tasks of a vision
If a vision is good, it gives us orientation. It helps us to base our everyday decisions on common goals. It brings transparency and clarity to our actions. A vision should inspire and motivate us. Because nobody gets up in the morning with the thought: „Today I'm going to work extra hard so that my boss earns a lot of money.“ But let's get up in the morning with a good feeling and the knowledge: „I am helping to shape the transport of the future.“
We are not alone
Honestly - we didn't come up with the idea. Almost every successful company follows a vision. Here are some well-known examples:
- Microsoft dreamed of it in the 1980s, "a computer on every desk and in every home" hardly imaginable back then, today it is almost a reality.
- IKEA pursues the vision: "Creating a better everyday life for the many people." The focus is not on furniture, but on the home, life and people.
Our vision is not a short-term plan either. It is a bold, inspiring picture of the future that we are working towards together. It is a promise to ourselves and the people who rely on us every day.
And you? What was your favourite moment at City-Bahn? Is it the colleagues you work with every day? The passengers' reactions when you get them to their destination safely and on time? A special company event? A day when everything was just right? Or a moment when you realised: My work really made a difference to someone.
Our vision film
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Further informationMeaning
Our drive:
We connect the people of the region!
This is the vision for our Managing Director Friedbert Straube.
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Further informationTeam performance
A vision is not created in an ivory tower, it works in everyday life.
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Further informationWhat comes next?
Our film was created with a lot of passion and intensive collaboration, under conditions that were not always easy. That took time. We hope you like the result and gives you the feeling: I can make a difference here!
It goes without saying that not everything worked on the first take. That will always be the case in day-to-day work. But we want to get better together. That requires practice. But now have fun exercising your laughing muscles!
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Further informationAnd now?
Feel free to speak directly with your team leader or one of our instructors. In an open dialogue, we can share much more of our passion and discuss open questions. This is just the starting signal.