Before starting my record attempt between Kemijärvi, Finland and Lagos, Portugal, people told me over and over it would break down in Germany. So much so that I even tried to re-but (pre-but?) some of the likely critique.
Now, having made the trip, and none of the total
It is unfair to just dismiss criticism of Deutsche Bahn as being either naive or some kind of excuse to hate on Germany. I really like most things about Germany, so much that I migrated here 10 years ago. But Deutsche Bahn is absolutely awful. So, so many times I’ve ended up stranded after missing my connection. At least twice I was left behind because the train had only a single carriage and was so packed full that literally not a single person more could fit inside. Many times trains were simply cancelled, with no prior notice and with no replacement (not even bus). I hate car travel, but even so the only way I travel with DB now is if I have absolutely no deadline that day.
And on top of that all, DB has the audacity to charge the prices of a top tier rail provider, especially if you don’t know 6 months in advance that you will need to travel. Oh and if a train is cancelled / overpacked / inexcusably late, you think you will get a refund on your expensive ticket? Of course not! Just suck it up and wait for a different train, no matter how long the wait and no matter how much it messes up your plans.
and you still use DB rather than driving.