Berlin - Germany is to partly privatize its rail system on October 27, with investors to be offered just under one quarter of the company running Deutsche Bahn trains, senior executives said Friday.

The tracks and stations will not be part of the package.

German investors will be able to subscribe from October 13 onwards to buy part of the 24.9-per-cent stake in a company named DB Mobility Logistics. An international road show to explain the deal to institutional investors begins the same day.

Hartmut Mehdorn, chief executive of Deutsche Bahn, said, "Despite the strained situation on international financial markets, we are entering the critical phase of our flotation with confidence."

He said there had already been talks with potential investors.

The previous day, the New York Times quoted Russia's state-owned rail company saying it was keen to acquire 5 per cent of the German company in the privatization. (dpa)