Costs for expanding the Leipzig-Chemnitz railway line are rising significantly

The expansion of the southern section of the Leipzig-Chemnitz railway line will cost around twice as much as previously stated. In addition to the construction costs of 306 million euros determined in 2022, there would be price increases, planning costs and risk provisions, informed Deutsche Bahn (DB) in Burgstädt. The total costs of the project will therefore be around 600 million euros. While the state is financing part of the planning, the actual construction will be financed entirely from federal funds.

There has been a long-standing struggle to expand the important rail connection between the two major cities. This involves electrification and the double-track expansion of the line. The southern section Chemnitz-Geithain is around 37 kilometers long and is divided into four planning sections. It was said that the approval documents for the first have now been submitted to the Federal Railway Authority. This is an important milestone. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2032; the whole thing should last until 2034.

Except for two shorter sections, the route is to be double-tracked. An overhead line is also planned. In addition, train stations and stops will be renovated, as will control and safety technology. The aim is to create a modern route for a significantly more frequent train service, explained DB Group representative Cornelia Kadatz. Infrastructure Minister Regina Kraushaar (CDU) emphasized that the state had made advance payments in planning the second track and had raised 22 million euros for it.

The route is an important connection between the Chemnitz economic area and the Leipzig rail hub and long-distance transport. However, as a result of reparations after the Second World War, it is now only single-track and has no overhead line. According to previous information, it is regularly overloaded and disruptions occur again and again. That is why there is a push for expansion. The trains are also used by many commuters. In the future, the aim is to run every half hour, especially during peak hours.

Plans for the northern section Geithain-Leipzig are lagging behind. The costs there have exploded. For the 44 kilometers, almost 500 million euros in federal funds are available for structural change in coal regions. However, the latest estimates showed costs of 1.32 billion euros. There is therefore talk of slimming down the project. According to a feasibility study, a second track could only be built over 24 kilometers; other financing should be found for electrification.