rail transport - The Berlin-Görlitz railway line is being upgraded
The trains on the Berlin–Cottbus–Weißwasser–Görlitz route will run faster in the future. For this reason, the Cottbus–Weißwasser–Görlitz section is planned to be double-tracked and electrified. An agreement on the planning for this expansion project and a series of others was signed by Federal Transportation Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) and DB Board Chairman Richard Lutz. According to the Federal Transportation Ministry and Deutsche Bahn, no specific timeline was given for the electrification of the section between Berlin and Görlitz.
"Structural change in the name of climate protection requires concrete offers and prospects for the regions most affected by the change," said Wissing. "The German government supports the structural change in the former coal regions with up to 40 billion Euro."
DB Chairman: A significant contribution to structural change
DB Board Chairman Lutz added, the electrification and double-tracking of the Cottbus–Görlitz section, as well as other expansion projects whose planning is being initiated, are a significant contribution to a successful structural change.
With the signing of the agreement, the planning for the 44-kilometer long northern section between Bad Lausick and Geithain of the Leipzig–Chemnitz route is reportedly set to begin. This section is also planned to be electrified and double-tracked. Preparations for the planning are reportedly underway, with planning steps such as surveying, environmental investigations, and routing to follow next.
- The Federal Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure and Digitalization, led by Volker Wissing, is a key player in facilitating these infrastructure changes.
- The double-tracking and electrification of the railway from Cottbus to Görlitz, a part of the Berlin–Cottbus–Weißwasser–Görlitz route, is under consideration by German Railways (DB).
- In Saxony, discussions surrounding the improvement of railway traffic are ongoing, with the potential impact on cities like Görlitz being significant.
- Volker Wissing, the Federal Transportation Minister, has expressed his support for the electrification of the railway track between Berlin and Görlitz, as part of the government's efforts to transition towards a greener future.
- The Future Party (FDP) in Brandenburg, with Volker Wissing as a prominent figure, is advocating for the transformation of Germany's infrastructure to accommodate cleaner forms of transport.
- The movement of freight and passengers on the Berlin–Cottbus–Weißwasser–Görlitz route is expected to flow more smoothly once the necessary infrastructure improvements, such as electrification and double-tracking, are completed.
- Reportedly, Wesser, a municipality in Saxony, will also see improvements in its railway infrastructure as part of the broader plan to modernize Germany's railway system.
