Infraplan 2026: Ministry of Transport presents new plan for railway renovation

With a new overall concept, the federal government wants to modernize the rail infrastructure in Germany and make it more reliable. The Federal Ministry of Transport presented the Infraplan 2026, which for the first time brings together the key measures for the development of the rail network for the years 2026 to 2030.

“In the end, what matters to people is whether the train runs reliably,” said Ulrich Lange, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport. Infrastructure policy must be measured against this. With the Infraplan, the government is no longer just looking at individual rail projects, but at the entire network, said the CSU politician. The federal government is now setting goals and priorities that the responsible infrastructure subsidiary of the railway, DB InfraGO, is implementing. In the future it will be more transparent how we are making progress and where we need to make adjustments.

Deutsche Bahn has been struggling with significant delays for years. In September, almost every second long-distance train was delayed. The general overhauls currently underway on heavily used sections of the route are taking significantly longer than planned.

DB InfraGO boss Philipp Nagl described the plan as an important step. Clear priorities would create the basis for planning and implementation. In addition, transparency is an important signal for the market. The overall concept based on the Austrian model consists of a master strategy for regular traffic, a target network for 2035 and the infraplan as a concrete implementation path. This includes measures such as new construction and expansion, electrification, corridor renovations and noise reduction.

However, the Infraplan is not a financing plan, as Lange said. "It is a control plan." The implementation of the measures is subject to the budget resources available in the respective years. The federal government is also working on enshrining the overall concept in law from 2027. The infraplan should also be linked to a railway infrastructure fund, which should ideally be operational in January 2028, said Lange. “Then we would be super punctual.” The infraplan is to be updated and developed annually in the future.

“Too early to pop champagne corks”

The railway union EVG described the infraplan as overdue. For far too long, “the federal government has shirked its responsibility when it comes to rail,” said EVG boss Martin Burkert. That is why the railway infrastructure is dilapidated and unreliable, which regularly affects companies, passengers and employees. The Infraplan is heading in the right direction, but it is “too early to pop champagne corks.” Because the political goals also have to be backed financially.

The Pro-Rail Alliance spoke of an entry into a system change. Now the federal government must also move away from annual budget planning and finance projects bindingly over several years. “The railway infrastructure fund announced in the coalition agreement is quickly needed for this,” said association managing director Dirk Flege. “Only then would the most important rail policy reform project in this legislative period be completed.”