GERMANY’s Ministry of Transport (BMV) has approved a revised works schedule for German Rail’s (DB) comprehensive line renewals programme. The new plan has been devised by infrastructure manager DB InfraGO, following consultation with the industry and federal states.
The original programme, introduced last year, involved the complete closure of key corridors while core infrastructure, including track, civil structures and signalling, was all replaced at once. However, DB faced mounting criticism that the programme had not adequately provided capacity for diversionary routes and that its impact on operations would be too severe. Major disruption was anticipated until the programme was completed in 2030.
DB InfraGO’s revised schedule has reduced the amount of work planned in any one year from 2028 onwards, which will extend the programme by six years to 2036. The infrastructure manager is also proposing a reduction in track access charges on diversionary routes so that operators will not pay any more than they would for their original paths. DB InfraGO proposes a predefined percentage discount for each diversionary route, starting in 2026. However, this requires approval from the Federal Network Agency (BNA), with a decision not expected before November.
As construction contracts have already been awarded, work will take place as originally planned next year on the following routes: Hagen - Wuppertal - Cologne; Nuremberg - Regensburg; Obertraubling - Passau; Troisdorf - Unkel; and Unkel - Wiesbaden.
Plans for 2027 also remain largely as originally formulated, though with greater consultation with operators and local transport authorities. The routes involved are: Rosenheim - Salzburg; Lehrte - Berlin; Bremerhaven - Bremen; and Fulda - Hanau. DB InfraGO points out that it has already awarded contracts to bus operators to provide rail replacement services in 2026 and 2027.
From 2028 onwards work will take place on a maximum of four lines, with the last, Flensburg - Hamburg, scheduled to take place in 2036.
Reaction
Industry reaction has been largely positive. "We are pleased that this broadly coordinated sequence of comprehensive renewals across the country now provides planning security for the next 10 years,” says the president of the Federal Association of Local Rail Transport (BNV), Thomas Prechtl. “Now it is important that every month-long line closure also results in noticeable improvements in the service for passengers thanks to new, operationally-orientated timetabling."
Major rail industry organisations, including the German Rail Freight Association (Die Güterbahnen), the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) and Mofair, which represents private operators, have also welcomed the revised programme.
However, in a joint statement they say that they will reserve judgement on the new plans until a number of key issues are clarified. These include greater transparency and communication, including comprehensive consultation with rail industry bodies on all pre and post-closure measures in order to reliably assess the impact on services; upgrading of planned diversionary routes to minimise capacity loss while the diversions are in use; and guaranteeing a works-free period of at least five years after the completion of work on each corridor.
