Deutsche Bahn is aiming to secure €150 billion from a planned €500 billion infrastructure fund, which is currently being negotiated by Germany’s prospective coalition partners. This was reported by the DPA news agency, citing internal documents prepared for the company’s supervisory board. The funding is intended to support the modernization and expansion of the rail network over the next nine years.
This €150 billion would come on top of the €140 billion in public funding already earmarked for Deutsche Bahn until 2034, according to the industry newspaper DVZ. The infrastructure fund, which would require an increase in public debt, is expected to be created through legislative action. Of the requested amount, €15 billion is reportedly allocated for “military mobility.”
Deutsche Bahn warns in its internal documents of major funding gaps in infrastructure renewal in the coming years. The company plans to use €80 billion of the additional funds for track reconstruction, major corridor renovations, and digitalization projects. The remaining amount would be used to expand the rail network and accelerate ongoing digital initiatives.
In a related development, Andreas Matthä, CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) recently called for at least €100 billion in EU investments to maintain the competitiveness of Europe’s rail infrastructure. He also urged the extension of the Connecting Europe Facility, the EU fund dedicated to infrastructure projects.
