‘Unbearable Costs’: German Transport Association Demands Urgent Reform of Rail Infrastructure Charges

Germany’s rail freight sector is on edge. As infrastructure charges surge and federal support stalls, operators warn of a looming crisis. Now, the VDV is calling for an urgent funding boost — and a complete overhaul of how access to the national network is priced.

The German Transport Association (VDV) has issued a strong warning about the growing burden of infrastructure access charges, which it says poses an existential threat to rail freight operators. At a press conference in Hamburg, Nicole Knapp, Executive Director for Rail at VDV, stated that the latest price increases for access to the federal rail network—introduced in December 2024—are making it increasingly difficult for freight companies to remain competitive against road transport.

Freight Sector Criticises Rising Costs and Insufficient Subsidies

Infrastructure charges—or "rail tolls"—now account for up to 20% of freight operators' total costs. A recent federal decision to raise the equity capital of the infrastructure manager DB InfraGO further exacerbated the problem by increasing capital interest costs and depreciation, which were passed on to operators through higher access charges.

VDV is calling for a substantial increase in federal subsidies for infrastructure access fees, to be anchored in the 2025 federal budget, which remains delayed due to the election cycle. Currently, €275 million is allocated to rail access charge support, an amount VDV deems far too low given the current cost pressure.

As RAILTARGET previously reported, this subsidy arrangement emerged after the European Commission prohibited intra-group cross-subsidisation within Deutsche Bahn. Instead, DB Cargo was allowed to implement a new support scheme aimed at offsetting the external cost gap between rail and road freight, as approved by the Commission.

Industry Calls for €350 Million and Full System Overhaul

In response, VDV and other industry stakeholders from the logistics, trade, and industrial sectors are now jointly calling on the federal government to raise the infrastructure subsidy by €75 million, bringing the total to €350 million. A joint letter is expected to be sent and published in the coming days, also demanding a fundamental overhaul of the access charge system.

According to VDV, this is no longer optional but essential. The December 2024 price hike for a standard freight train on the federal rail network was around 16%, and an additional increase of 8% to 35% is expected from mid-December 2025, though the final scope remains uncertain due to ongoing legal disputes against DB InfraGO, increasing instability in the market.

VDV Proposes Two New Models for Sustainable Pricing Reform

In anticipation of political debate over a new access pricing model, VDV has already prepared two reform proposals, which it intends to feed into the discussion. The goal is to establish a long-term sustainable pricing framework that ensures planning security for rail operators and strengthens rail’s position in intermodal competition.

Source: Verkehrsrundschau