DB InfraGO’s extended rail renovation timeline receives cautious industry support 25/06/25
< ZurückDB InfraGO’s extended rail renovation timeline receives cautious industry support
The Generalsanierung, the German overhaul of its railway network, may last about twice as long as originally planned – until the mid-2030s. Infrastructure manager DB InfraGO wants to do fewer renovations annually and spread them out over a longer period of time. What do rail companies think about this?
The German private rail freight association Die Güterbahnen sees the extension as a “necessary correction”. Its managing director, Neele Wesseln, commented: “The postponement is not a defeat, but a necessary correction. The original 2030 target was politically motivated, not technically motivated – and was not planned in line with the realities of the system.”
“It is right that DB is now making adjustments”, Wesseln continues. Rail freight appeals seem to have been heard in the upper decision-making echelons.“The industry warned early on that corridors should not simply be pushed through against all technical reason without preparing diversionary routes or implementing layout standards.”
Yet, there is still a thing or two to gain. “The extension of the timetable must be used to implement the industry’s well-known demands: advance upgrades, practical single-track construction concepts, functioning detours and clear cost control”, adds Wesseln. “Additionally, we believe it is wrong that the plans for 2025, 2026 and 2027 should not be reviewed.”
Hector Rail
The view of Die Güterbahnen is underlined by a representative of rail operator Hector Rail, who gives a cautiously positive response. An extension will give affected companies some breathing room, but concerns about capacity allocation still remain. “If a route only has 40% capacity, then some companies will have to divert either way, and there has to be proper compensation for that”, they say.