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German states demand federal aid as rail fees rise

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2026-10-22 03:54 UTC → 2026-10-22 14:32 UTC · added ~~removed~~

German state transport ministers are intensifying demands for increased federal funding to combat rising track access charges paid to DB InfraGo. Following a European Court of Justice ruling that overturned the ‘Trassenpreisbremse’ (track price brake), fees for regional passenger rail are projected to increase by approximately 7.7 percent in 2027, with further hikes expected in 2028. At a transport ministers' conference in Hohenschwangau, state ministers met with federal representatives to seek compromises regarding strained budgets. ~~In a joint document, the~~ State ministers have now warned they require an additional 14 billion euros by 2031 to maintain current regional rail services, citing rising costs for energy, labor, and track access charges. While states ~~called~~ call for a reform of the rail infrastructure charge (Schienenmaut) to ensure ~~additional~~ costs are ~~compensated in~~ compensated, Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger noted that federal budget constraints limit the ~~short term.~~ possibility of covering these additional costs. Schleswig-Holstein’s Transport Minister, Claus Ruhe Madsen, criticized the federal government for imposing rising costs ~~via DB InfraGo~~ without supporting ~~commuters or states, noting a missed opportunity to shift travelers from cars to trains.~~ commuters, while Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter ~~has~~ reiterated that the federal government must fully compensate for ~~looming~~ increases to prevent service restrictions. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Transport Minister, Wolfgang Blank, has specifically urged the federal government to secure 7 million euros in the 2027 budget for planning services for the ‘Vorpommern-Magistrale’ rail ~~connection (Berlin–Greifswald–Stralsund–Sassnitz), an expansion estimated to cost approximately 500 million euros.~~ connection. Beyond passenger rail, the freight association ‘Die Güterbahnen’ warned that planned price hikes of up to 85 percent by 2028 for heavy and hazardous goods trains could severely impact the chemical, agricultural, and steel industries. Commuters also face price increases for the Deutschlandticket, set to rise to 66.80 euros in January 2027. ~~Meanwhile, maintenance at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof scheduled for late 2026 will cause regional and long-distance diversions and cancellations.~~

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