Germany awaits a new TAC increase, will it be on time to curb the damage?
Author: Dennis van der Laan
13.10.2025 | On 14 December, track access charges (TACs) in Germany will increase. The initial forecast was that they would grow by 35%, but the country has a chance to limit that to 16%. Nevertheless, rail freight companies are not yet satisfied, and demand an overhaul of the TAC system.
Germany’s notoriously complicated TAC system will strike again. TACs are certain to grow again on 14 December, increasing costs for rail freight companies further. There is a shimmer of hope on the horizon, and it takes the shape of a legal proposal that will be discussed in Germany’s parliamentary transport committee on 13 October.
The plan is the following: The German government wants to reduce infrastructure manager DB InfraGO’s maximum return on equity by three percentage points. Because of how the German TAC system works, that would limit how much profit DB InfraGO can legally make on their track access charge income.
Now, explains German private rail freight association Die Güterbahnen, DB InfraGO is entitled to a maximum profit margin of 5.2%. Reducing that by three points would lower that number to 2%, which would limit next year’s TAC costs for rail operators in Germany.
Still a 16% increase
“Limit” is the key word here. Such a step “is far from sufficient to stabilise track access charges”, explains Die Güterbahnen. “On the contrary – they would rise again by up to 16%, following the 16.2% increase last year.”
The rail freight association laments the ever-growing and unpredictable “rail toll”, whereas the road sector has remained stable and predictable for several years. “Imagine buying a car today – but not finding out what it actually costs until six months from now”, rail policy offer Oliver Smock said. “That’s exactly how the current track pricing system works – and it’s unsustainable for companies.”
Die Güterbahnen calls for DB InfraGO’s return on equity to be set at 0%, “thus completely foregoing any return on investment.” That would reduce the cost burden for rail freight by around a billion euros, according to the association.
Race against time
The hope is that the German parliament will succeed in revising and passing the law ahead of the timetable change on 14 December, so that rail freight can immediately benefit. “In the medium term, the federal government must initiate the fundamental reform of the track access pricing system announced in the coalition agreement – with stable prices, genuine efficiency incentives, and a consistent focus on the common good.”