Germany presents 160-page Infraplan to overhaul rail network by 2030

Five-year framework for the rail network

The German Federal Ministry of Transport presented the Infraplan 2026 in Berlin on Tuesday, setting out targets for the maintenance, digitalization, and expansion of the national rail network between 2026 and 2030. The 160-page document establishes a unified system of eight binding steering metrics for the federal railway infrastructure subsidiary DB InfraGO. These indicators measure annual newly built track kilometers, electrification rates, noise remediation measures, and delays caused by infrastructure failures. Among the specific benchmarks, the plan requires the construction of 155 new track kilometers by 2030. Modeled on multi-year planning systems used in Austria and Switzerland, the strategy coordinates construction measures across the entire rail grid rather than evaluating individual regional projects in isolation.

The federal government sets goals and priorities, DB InfraGO implements them, and we make it transparent that we are making progress.

Operational tracking and corridor reviews

The initiative follows severe operational disruptions across the rail system, with nearly half of all long-distance trains recording delays in September 2026 due to extensive equipment and infrastructure failures. The government's previous strategy centered on complete corridor closures for comprehensive renovations, but Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger expressed dissatisfaction after reopened routes continued to experience technical faults. Consequently, target values for corridor refurbishment kilometers between 2027 and 2030 have been withheld while the overarching corridor overhaul model undergoes revision. Officials anticipate that fewer route corridors will be closed for simultaneous renewal in future years to prevent widespread network gridlock.

Budget coordination and financing structure

Parliamentary State Secretary Ulrich Lange emphasized that the Infraplan functions as a steering guideline rather than an autonomous funding commitment. Actual project execution remains contingent on the annual budgetary allocations approved by the federal parliament. To stabilize future funding, the government is preparing a performance agreement with DB InfraGO scheduled to enter into force by 1 January 2027. Federal authorities also plan to anchor the planning framework into federal law in 2027 and establish an operational rail infrastructure fund by January 2028. Total rail investments are slated to exceed 100 billion euros across the current legislative term, building on recent increases in per capita federal spending.

Industry and trade union reactions

Sector representatives and transport associations responded with qualified approval while calling for binding financial backing. Ingo Wortmann, president of the Association of German Transport Companies, noted that the framework provides necessary transparency for operators but urged faster progress on route electrification. Nele Wesseln from the freight rail association Die Güterbahnen cautioned that without statutory guarantees, a defined target network, and sustained budget lines, the roadmap risks becoming an unfulfilled document. Railway and Transport Union chairman Martin Burkert described the release as an overdue measure, stating that prolonged federal neglect had left track infrastructure unreliable for passengers and freight operators alike.

Clear priorities create the foundation for effective planning and implementation.