In a month, an entire region will be cut off from long-distance traffic. The intercity stops in Gera will be eliminated from September 21st. It is unclear when and whether the city in eastern Thuringia with 100,000 inhabitants will be connected to long-distance transport again. One of the reasons: The trains are no longer profitable for Deutsche Bahn. According to a response from the Thuringian Ministry of Infrastructure, occupancy was 34 percent in 2025.
The Gera case is an example of the scenario that associations and opposition politicians have been warning about for months. Because while connections between major cities are booming, they are being eliminated across the board. The reasons for this are manifold: too little demand, high route prices, a shift of rail passengers to regional trains due to the Deutschlandticket.
The debate has gained new momentum through the planned entry of the Italian rail provider Italo from 2028. The Federal Network Agency and the infrastructure operator DB InfraGO are currently arguing in court over the conditions under which long-distance routes in Germany will be awarded in the future. One thing is certain: private providers will also concentrate on the lucrative connections between the metropolises. Long-distance transport to Munich is more attractive than to Gera.
The Greens are presenting a new long-distance transport law
In order to counter the threat of exclusion of some cities from long-distance transport, the Green Party parliamentary group has introduced a bill that could fundamentally change the long-distance transport network in Germany. If they have their way, the federal government should, if necessary, order long-distance transport itself in the future, just as the states already do with local transport.
If this is not enough, the federal government should order long-distance transport itself. In local transport, this is currently being done through an EU-wide tender. Whoever is cheapest gets the contract. According to the Green Party's evaluations, up to 150 train stations could benefit from more long-distance transport connections as a result of the proposed law.
The party refers to the Basic Law in its initiative. This obliges the federal government to ensure an adequate supply of rail transport. According to the Greens, this also includes routes that are not economically viable for operators.
The party calculates the additional costs for the federal government at 200 to 400 million euros per year. The estimate is based on a study by the German Center for Rail Transport. For comparison: the regionalization funds for local transport will amount to 13.7 billion euros annually from 2027.
“Neither realistic nor capable of gaining a majority”
The Greens would have to convince the Ministry of Transport and the Federal Government with their plan. But criticism comes from the Union. When asked by WELT, Michael Donth (CDU), a member of the transport committee, wrote about the estimated costs: “I don’t think that’s realistic or capable of gaining a majority.” Germany has a broad long-distance transport connection that is tailored to the market. “Therefore, even if things can still get better in one case or another, such a law is not necessary.”
Instead, the Pro Bahn passenger association welcomes the proposal. When asked by WELT, spokesman Lukas Iffländer said: “A long-distance transport plan that states in black and white which train stops where makes the guarantee verifiable for the first time - and gives cities and countries a basis for planning that they do not have today.” Germany is also “the only large European railway country that leaves its long-distance transport offerings entirely to the income statement of a company”. This refers to DB Long-Distance Transport, which is self-sufficient.
The Pro-Rail Alliance also welcomes the draft law “as the starting signal for a well-founded debate on better connections to other important cities outside the metropolises to long-distance transport.”
