Germany’s railways may face a lack of financing security. Rail association Allianz pro-Schiene reports that the financing for railways is secure for a duration of only a single year. In comparison, Austria and Switzerland have guaranteed longer-term financial security of six and twelve years respectively.
Germany’s railways need multi-year financing security for construction and expansion projects, according to Allianz pro-Schiene. They add that current policy will not be sufficient for people to feel ‘ added value’. Additionally, it argued for clearly formulated and legally established public welfare goals as well as key figures for the management of rail infrastructure managing company InfraGO.
The grass is greener in the south
Earlier, the rail association expressed its worries about expected cuts in the financing for the rail freight sector in the German government budget. The expected cuts amount to 252 million euros.
The grass is greener on Germany’s southern border, where Austria and Switzerland have guaranteed six and twelve years of financial security for their railways. For instance, Austria aims to invest 21 billion euros in the expansion of its railways over the next five years as part of a long-term plan. It guarantees the continuation of major infrastructure projects, including a number of tunnels.
Likewise, the Italian railway company Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane published its 10-year plan in 2022 which includes a 190 billion euros investment. The plan includes separate plans for each Italian region. The primary goal of the plan is to increase intermodal freight transport alongside improving passenger mobility throughout the country.
It does not seem that the German government is enthusiastic about creating a multi-year plan for its rail sector. Earlier, a spokesperson for the German transport ministry stated that they cannot see the advantages of such a measure.
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