Delays in Completing General Rail Repairs Persist
Get ready for a longer wait on those train rides—Deutsche Bahn's general makeover of the Riedbahn and 41 other heavily trafficked railway lines across Germany could take more time than initially planned.
Deutsch Bahn's ambitious project, planned to be completed by 2031, might need a little extensions,from the beginning of the 2030s to the middle instead. The company aims to cut down on annual corridor renovations to speed things up. This revelation comes from a letter penned by DB InfraGo, the subsidiary responsible for infrastructure, to fellow transportation partners.
According to the letter, it's all about striking a balance between capacity limitations, the construction industry's efficiency, and urgent investment needs in the network. In harmony with the new federal government, they plan to reduce the number of annual renovations to four to five per year—which means the total of 42 renovations won't be completed until the middle of the 2030s.
The federal ministry of transport acknowledged the plan, claiming they are reviewing and refining the renovation concept to improve efficiency, including possible time adjustments.
Months of Misery for Passengers
The modernization of numerous heavily used corridors is a crucial step toward fixing Germany's worn-out rail network. Each of the 42 lines will be shut down for renovation, typically lasting around six months. The Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim embarked on this journey last year, with the line between Hamburg and Berlin next on deck for 2022.
The initial plan was to have all 42 lines renovated by 2031, with up to nine projects being worked on annually. However, doubts surfaced early on about the timeline, considering the closures bring about significant limitations for travelers and freight transportation for months on end.
Even Deutsche Bahn's competitors in freight transport view a revision of the plan essential, claiming the initial timeline set the bar too high.
Source: ntv.de, mpa/dpa
- Deutsche Bahn
- Infrastructure Investment
- Federal Ministry of Transport
- The delay in Deutsche Bahn's community policy for railway renovations, particularly the Riedbahn and 42 other heavily trafficked lines, might extend the completion from the beginning of the 2030s to the middle, due to capacity limitations, industry efficiency, and urgent investment needs in the network.
- In an effort to streamline the renovation process, Deutsche Bahn has proposed reducing the number of annual renovations from the current number to four or five per year, with the aim of completing all 42 renovations by the middle of the 2030s.
- The proposed changes in Deutsche Bahn's policy-and-legislation for infrastructure investment are currently being reviewed by the federal ministry of transport, with the intent to improve efficiency and possible time adjustments.
