Bund der Steuerzahler criticizes wasteful public projects in Germany

The Bund der Steuerzahler (BdSt) has released its 2026/2027 Black Book, documenting 100 cases of allegedly wasteful or questionable public spending across Germany. Notable examples include a wooden bridge costing 9.2 million euros and a 370-meter cycle path priced at one million euros.

In Baden-Württemberg, the Hermann-Hesse-Bahn project saw costs escalate from an original 49 million euros to approximately 240 million euros. The BdSt highlighted that 85 million euros were spent on bat protection measures in two tunnels. Despite these costs, the Calw district reported high demand, with passenger numbers exceeding forecasts upon the line's reactivation in February 2026.

Additionally, the report highlights significant cost discrepancies in railway infrastructure. A 75-meter platform in Bad St. Peter Süd cost approximately 1.7 million euros via DB InfraGO, whereas a 50-meter platform in Deezbüll cost only about 400,000 euros. While Deutsche Bahn cited complex planning and safety standards for the higher costs, the Federal Ministry of Transport admitted to gaps in its ability to monitor such cost comparisons systematically.