Call for electrification targets
Allianz pro Schiene and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) have urged the federal government to set clear and ambitious goals for railway electrification. The organisations call for 80% of the national rail network to be electrified by 2035, following the coalition’s announcement to remove the cost-benefit analysis from planning procedures.
So far, only 75 km of overhead lines have been installed annually. To meet climate targets and modernise freight logistics, the pace must increase significantly, as VDV reports. The associations propose a simplified overhead line system for regional lines – designed for 100 km/h instead of 160 km/h – to reduce costs and accelerate rollout. They also highlight the need to electrify key cross-border rail links, especially with Poland and the Czech Republic, where electrification rates remain low. (js)