The federal government has adopted a relief package designed to cushion as much as possible the effects of the track price increases in rail freight transport and long-distance passenger transport. The initially expected price increases result from higher energy and personnel costs, as well as a not insignificant share from the DB AG's equity increase in the last legislative period.
Package of measures for long-distance and freight transport
As the Federal Ministry of Transport announces, based on the Budget Committee's decision, the track price funding of 105 million euros for long-distance transport will be paid out in 2025. It also states that the new legally secure funding directive for 2026 is in the final vote. Initial talks with the European Commission on the notification are underway.
For the track-price funding in rail freight transport, the ministry states that federal funds of 265 million euros are available for 2026. The funding is to be reinforced by additional revenues from LuFV penalties, which primarily
consist of penalties for not meeting the quality indicators of LuFV III.
In addition, the Railway Regulation Act is to be amended so that the equity rate used in regulating track charges, in particular for DB InfraGO AG, is reduced to 1.9 percent. According to the information, it is expected that the railway undertakings will pass on the cost reduction, so that prices for rail freight transport will rise less sharply.
Reactions from associations
The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) and Die Güterbahnen express relief at the measures. In their statement they are convinced that the Bundestag's decisions and the coordination with the Federal Network Agency will prevent a massive cost increase that would have amounted to up to 35 percent.
Joachim Berends, VDV Vice President, emphasizes that the track-price increase of DB InfraGO would have massively weakened competition on the rail under the current planning. Henrik Würdemann, Chairman of the Board of Die Güterbahnen, underlines that the swift political implementation
is a signal to the industry that its concerns are taken seriously.
The associations also point to the need for a long-term reform of the track-price system.
“Basically, the track price reform remains indispensable; here the Federal Ministry of Transport must act – as an industry association, we will continue to offer our assistance,” Berends explains.
Both associations see the interim measures as a bridge until the fundamental reform, which is to take effect from the end of 2027.
Details on the instruments
Three central steps are intended to ease the cost burden. First, through the Act to Mitigate the Track Price Increase, the return on equity for DB InfraGO AG is fixed at 1.9 percent, which alone for 2026 should provide relief of around 75 million euros. Second, federal subsidies for maintenance measures will be binding earlier, so that DB InfraGO can use the share of track price revenues for this purpose and reduce the track prices. Third, penalty payments of
DB InfraGO under LuFV III, i.e., fines for not achieving quality targets of the rail infrastructure, will be used in 2026 for track-price funding. According to the associations, the final amount of these funds is not yet secured, but the measure represents an important support given the current market conditions.
Significance for the industry
For the transport sector, the measures are particularly relevant as they stabilize the cost situation in rail freight for 2026. According to the VDV and Die Güterbahnen, this can prevent the diversion of significant quantities of goods to the road. At the same time, rail is strengthened by the interim solutions until the announced comprehensive track-price reform from 2027 is implemented.
The federal government and the Bundestag have thus created short-term relief that provides companies with planning security and maintains the competitiveness of rail. At the same time, the need remains to reform the track-price system in the long term to ensure stable framework conditions for investments and
