> I don’t remember the German trains being this late, this often, a ~decade ago.

Except: they were - over 20 years ago, I did my „Grundwehrdienst“ in the German army, travel with DB from Nuremberg to Munich and back every weekend for 8 months.

The number of times the ICE was on time I can count on one hand. 15 minutes delayed regularly, sometimes more.

After a while we planned to use the last train to arrive in Munich, and having to go a bit further with S-Bahn, we most of the time missed the last one (on purpose).

We then went to the DB counter and got free coupons to head our final destination by Taxi.

Also already happening back then: broken aircon, often in comical ways - I.e. totally non working in one wagon, with everyone sweating at some 45 degrees Celsius or more, next wagon: freezing at 16 degrees…