EUR 107 billion will be allocated for the maintenance of Germany’s railway infrastructure, marking an end to the backlog in transport infrastructure upkeep, announced Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder.
This investment forms part of a EUR 166 billion package for transport infrastructure projects, which also includes EUR 52 billion for federal roads and EUR 8 billion for inland waterways.
“For comparison, in the five years prior (2020–2024), the figure stood at EUR 102 billion,” the minister noted. He added that the Government “has managed, from a standing start, to increase transport investment by more than 60 per cent. The message now is: plan, build, spend – and as quickly as possible. We will all have to get used to even more construction sites to bring our transport infrastructure up to standard.”
The minister emphasised that the initial focus is on the maintenance and preservation of Germany’s railway infrastructure and motorway bridges, adding, “In future budgets, we must also turn our attention to increased construction of new roads and railway lines.”
By the end of this year, rail infrastructure projects will benefit from nearly EUR 21.8 billion, and from 2026 until 2029, the projects will have a budget of EUR 87.7 billion.
In an interview with Bild am Sonntag on 29 June 2025, the transport minister declared that “60 per cent punctuality on the railways is unacceptable,” expressing hope for a “punctuality rate of over 80 or 90 per cent.” This sentiment reflects the challenges faced by the infrastructure, which requires “urgent action,” including from Deutsche Bahn, to deliver a “higher-performing railway and improved mobility across Germany.”
Deutsche Bahn’s closed 2024 financial year report states that the group’s economic performance in 2024 was primarily affected by the poor state of infrastructure. The quality of operations, with a punctuality rate of 62.5% for long-distance services compared to 64% in 2023, placed additional pressure on the bottom line.
S3 programme to improve punctuality
Deutsche Bahn is implementing its S3 restructuring programme to fundamentally improve infrastructure, rail operations, and profitability by 2027. This programme aims to restore rail’s performance capability, significantly enhance the customer experience, and return the company to profitability.
Under the S3 renovation programme, DB will carry out 13 major renovations across the country to improve rail infrastructure. By the end of 2027, EUR 53 billion will be invested in networks and stations throughout Germany. Of this, EUR 8 billion is earmarked for major renovations, while EUR 26 billion will be largely allocated to projects beyond the main corridors.
The 13 major overhaul projects focus on critical bottleneck corridors, which once addressed, will increase capacity and reliability while reducing slow-speed restrictions across the network within the next two years. Renewal and overhaul works include:
- The 70 km Frankfurt am Main–Mannheim corridor underwent extensive modernisation in 2024. The project included replacing 1,200 pieces of control-command and signalling equipment, renewing 152 switches, 117 km of track, and modernising 140 km of overhead lines. The general overhaul of this line has now been completed. In December 2024, DB completed the work on the Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim.
- The 72 km Emmerich–Oberhausen line is planned to be completely upgraded to at least three tracks, along with modernisation of connecting infrastructure to increase capacity. Work began in 2022 and is scheduled for completion in 2026.
- The 178 km Hamburg–Berlin corridor is undergoing a major upgrade, including track and switch replacement, modernisation of 28 stations, and installation of new control and safety systems.
Other projects include Hagen–Wuppertal–Cologne, Nuremberg–Regensburg, Obertraubling–Passau, and Troisdorf–Koblenz–Wiesbaden, expected to be completed in 2026 and 2027.
The S3 programme also encompasses the modernisation and upgrade of 400 stations, as well as small and medium-scale projects, such as new crossover points, to increase capacity. Targeted expansion of service facilities, new construction, and digitalisation efforts are also key to restoring DB’s performance and returning to a growth trajectory within three years. By 2027, over 60 per cent of the total 355 planned small to medium measures to enhance network robustness and quality by 2030 will be completed.
In March, Bundestag approved a “historic decision” with an additional budget of EUR 500 billion for country’s infrastructure by 2040.
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