The German Ministry of Transport (BMV) recently approved a revised construction schedule for the Deutsche Bahn (DB) comprehensive line renewal project. This new plan was carefully developed by infrastructure management company DB InfraGo after thorough consultations with the industry and federal states.

Previously, the initial plan launched by Deutsche Bahn last year involved the complete closure of key corridors and the one-time replacement of core infrastructure such as tracks, civil structures, and signal systems. However, the plan has been criticized for failing to provide sufficient capacity for diversion routes and having a significant impact on railway operations. It is expected to experience major disruptions before the completion of the project in 2030.

To address these issues, DBInfraGo has developed a revision schedule. The new plan reduces the workload of any annual plan starting from 2028 and extends the project cycle to 2036, which is six years longer than the original plan. At the same time, the company proposes to reduce the rail access fees on diversion routes, so that operators do not have to pay additional fees beyond the original route fees, and plans to provide a predetermined percentage of discounts for each diversion route starting from 2026. However, this proposal requires approval from the Federal Network Agency (BNA), and a decision is expected before November.

In terms of construction arrangements, as the construction contract has been awarded, the related work will start next year as originally planned, involving multiple routes such as Hagen Wuppertal Cologne. The plan for 2027 is largely consistent with the initial plan, but after more extensive consultations with operators and local transportation authorities, it involves routes such as Rosenheim Salzburg. DBInfraGo also stated that it has awarded contracts to multiple bus operators in 2026 and 2027 to provide railway alternative services. Starting from 2028, work will be carried out simultaneously on up to four lines, with the final section of the Flensburg Hamburg line scheduled for construction in 2036.

The revised construction schedule for the German railway comprehensive line update project is an adjustment made after fully considering the opinions and actual situation of all parties, aiming to balance the relationship between project promotion and railway operation, reduce the impact on public travel and economic development, and lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of German railways. Editor/Cheng Liting