Berlin  - Germany's railway company Deutsche Bahn AG stepped up its drive Wednesday for international investors to buy into Europe's biggest rail group when it makes its share market debut latest this year.

As well potential investors in Europe, Deutsche Bahn plans to run a campaign aimed at Japanese investors with the group in particular hoping to attract big institutional investment houses to join the controversial privatization plan.

Under the proposed sell off, private investors will be allowed to buy up to 24.9 per cent of Deutsche Bahn's passenger and logistics operations.

Analysts say the planned partial privatization should generate about six billion euros (9.3 billion dollars) in funds with proponents of the sell off saying it would help to mobilize capital for the railway.

But analysts have also criticised the privatization model as resulting in only a small parcel of shares being sold off. This could result in the stock ended up principally in the hands of big institutional investors, some analysts say.

Under the plan, the state would have a 75.1-per-cent stake of Deutsche Bahn's passenger and freight operations.

However, the partial privatization means that Berlin would retain a 100-per-cent control of the rail company's railway stations as well as its 34,000 kilometres of track network and energy supplier operations. (dpa)