Train traffic - Higher ticket prices and fewer rail services loom
In the future, German Railway (Deutsche Bahn) passengers may face higher ticket prices and fewer connections on less popular routes due to planned track price increases, which could significantly increase the cost of operating long-distance trains after 2025. According to the state-owned conglomerate, these track price hikes could force the company to review the scope of its timetable offerings nationwide. Michael Peterson, responsible for long-distance rail in the Bahn management, stated on a Wednesday, as per the announcement, "Depending on the level of additional burdens, we are forced to reassess the entirety of our timetable offerings nationwide."
A DB spokesperson had previously explained that if the increase were directly passed on to DB Fernverkehr AG, service reductions and ticket price hikes would be inevitable.
This issue has caused unrest in politics, particularly among the Greens, who have criticized the potential impact on their regions.
Track prices, which are fees charged by DB Infrastructure AG (InfraGo), apply to all companies using the railway infrastructure, including the railway companies themselves. The Federal Network Agency recently approved a significant increase in track prices for 2025, on average 6% compared to the previous year.
The high increase is attributed to higher personnel and material costs by InfraGo. Due to a legal provision, the regional transport sector cannot be burdened as heavily, so the increases will primarily affect long-distance and freight transport. For 2025, track prices for long-distance transport are projected to rise by 17.7% based on current information.
Discussion of track price reform
The railway is also legally obligated to increase its earnings due to a planned capital increase. A Sparkurs (sparking) or significantly lower track prices could help achieve this, or a combination of both.
Lawsuits have been filed against the proposed track price hike for 2025. The federal government has also indicated its intention to support the companies with a special funding. However, a spokesperson for the Federal Transport Ministry stated that such track price subsidies would not be a long-term solution. Therefore, ways are being explored to overhaul the current track price system in the long term. The ministry is pushing for short-term support in the ongoing budget negotiations.
"Spiegel" reports on a cut list
The specifics of the proposed elimination or reduction of individual long-distance rail connections at the Bahn are not yet clear. According to a report by "Spiegel," the railway has drawn up a list of long-distance rail services for elimination or reduction. The Bahn has partially refuted the "Spiegel" report.
According to "Spiegel" report, Intercity-Lines 61 (Karlsruhe - Stuttgart - Aalen - Crailsheim - Nuernberg - Leipzig), 51 (Gera – Weimar – Erfurt – Gotha – Kassel – Dortmund – Cologne), and 34 (Norddeich Mole – Munster – Dortmund – Siegen – Frankfurt) could be completely cancelled. In addition, the report states that the ICE services to Stralsund at the Baltic Sea in the off-season will be significantly reduced. The magazine refers to a letter from Deutsche Bahn to the Federal Network Agency from early February.
There are currently no concrete plans to withdraw the mentioned long-distance connections. We finished our planning for the 2025 timetable in April. This timetable does not show any of the mentioned service reductions at present, said DB Long-Distance Managing Director Peterson.
The spokesperson of the Federal Transport Ministry emphasized that the Federal Government, as the owner of the railway, has a legitimate interest in ensuring that rail transport runs smoothly throughout Germany. "And that includes not leaving any region behind," the Ministry stated to the German Press Agency. In talks, cuts, for example in Eastern Germany, were also denied.
Passenger Association: Trains must also run on secondary lines
Detlef Neuß from the Passenger Association Pro Bahn reacted angrily to the "Spiegel" report on the planned cancellations. "There must be some consideration for lines that don't always pay off," Neuß told the dpa. "Lines from Cologne via the Ruhr Area to Berlin are almost always full - the financing through tickets is possible there. But it's not the case with other connections - they still need to be there."
An expansion of such connections has been discussed in recent years. The argument is that otherwise, empty trains would be running back and forth, while there is a lack of vehicles and personnel on other lines.
Does more money from the state budget help?
Neuß said that ultimately, the state would have to provide more money for these lines to continue operating. It is not acceptable that large sums of money are being poured into roads instead of the railways every year, "just because then many car drivers, who never use the train, will applaud," said Neuß.
"The cancellation of important long-distance connections by Deutsche Bahn would be completely wrong. We expect the railway to continue operating on all lines," said the Chairwoman of the Green Parliamentary Group, Katharina Dröge. Many people rely on the railway in their daily lives. They should not be left behind. For the Greens, the financing of the railway and railways in the budget negotiations is a priority.
- The planned track price increases by Deutsche Bahn (DB) could force DB Fernverkehr AG to implement service reductions and ticket price hikes, according to Michael Peterson, responsible for long-distance rail in the Bahn management.
- These track price hikes, imposed by DB Infrastructure AG (InfraGo), are fees charged to all companies using the railway infrastructure and are projected to rise by an average of 6% for 2025 compared to the previous year.
- The newspapers reported the railway has proposed a list of long-distance rail services for elimination or reduction, including Intercity-Lines 61, 51, and 34, and ICE services to Stralsund at the Baltic Sea in the off-season.
- Detlef Neuß from the Passenger Association Pro Bahn issued a strong response to the proposed cancellations, stating that there must be some consideration for lines that don't always pay off, and it's not acceptable that large sums of money are being poured into roads instead of the railways.
- Katharina Dröge, the Chairwoman of the Green Parliamentary Group, criticized the potential cancellation of important long-distance connections by Deutsche Bahn, emphasizing that many people rely on the railway in their daily lives and the financing of the railway should be a priority in budget negotiations.
- The Federal Transport Ministry, as the owner of the railway, has a legitimate interest in ensuring that rail transport runs smoothly throughout Germany, particularly to avoid leaving any region behind.
- Discussion of track price reform is ongoing, with a significant drop (Sparkurs) in track prices or a combination of both being explored as a means to increase DB's earnings and overhaul the current track price system in the long term.
