Route network - Ramelow calls for 100 billion euros for rail modernization
Thuringia's Minister-President Bodo Ramelow has demanded a special fund of 100 billion Euro for the modernization of the railway. Currently, a lot of money is flowing into this, but the financing is unreliable, Ramelow told "Spiegel". It's not enough, here and there, to invest. "At least 100 billion Euro should be mobilized over ten years to modernize the core of the railway."
Regarding the question of whether he would demand a special fund like for the Bundeswehr, Ramelow said: "That would be my approach, yes. But it should be a solution independent of the federal budget."
At the same time, Ramelow criticized impending cuts to the railway network, which "Spiegel" reported on this week. The magazine referred to a letter from Deutsche Bahn to the Bundesnetzagentur from early February. According to the report, the railway has already drawn up a list of long-distance connections that are to be reduced or discontinued. For example, the Intercity Line 51 (Gera – Weimar – Erfurt – Gotha – Kassel – Dortmund – Cologne) could be completely discontinued. The background is rising track fees for Deutsche Bahn (DB), which could lead to more expensive tickets and fewer connections.
Deutsche Bahn rejected the report on Wednesday: "There are currently no concrete plans to discontinue the named long-distance connections," said Michael Peterson, responsible for passenger long-distance traffic in the Bahn-Vorstand. In April, planning for the 2025 timetable will be completed. The current timetable does not show any of the named service reductions. However, the railway is forced to review the scope of the timetable offer nationwide due to impending cost increases from higher track fees.
- Bodo Ramelow, the Minister-President of East Germany's Thuringia, has proposed a special fund worth 100 billion Euro for improving East Germany's railroad route network.
- Despite substantial investments in the railroad traffic, Ramelow believes that the current financing is insufficient and demands a more reliable source of funds.
- In a criticism directed towards Deutsche Bahn, Ramelow expressed concern over potential cuts to the railroad network, including the Intercity Line 51, which operates between Erfurt and Cologne.
- German Armed Forces, often referred to as Bundeswehr, have their own specialized funding, and Ramelow suggests a similar approach for the railroad modernization.
- The modernization of East Germany's railway would significantly impact the local traffic and rely heavily on the robustness of the railroad's route network.
