Five German industry associations warn that rising and unpredictable track access charges are putting enormous pressure on rail freight transport and weakening the competitiveness of the country’s industrial sector. A planned reduction in federal subsidies of €65 million threatens to push up rail transport costs even further.
The German government’s draft budget for 2027 includes a cut in the subsidy for track access charges from the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF). This is the second blow in a week for energy-intensive industries, following earlier news of a reduction in KTF funding for industrial transformation projects.
The associations involved include the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), the Fuel and Energy Association (en2x), the German Paper Industry Association, the German Steel Federation (WV Stahl), and the Association of Wagon Owners (VPI). They jointly issued a statement warning that the cut would make rail freight more expensive at a time when companies can least afford it.
Industry associations sound the alarm
“Further increases in track access charges are no longer sustainable under the current conditions,” the statement reads. “In addition to the level of the charges themselves, the unpredictability of these costs is particularly problematic for investment and long-term logistics decisions.”
The associations point out that prices are rising despite persistent quality problems – the rail network is unreliable, trains are delayed, and service levels have not improved. They insist that any future increase in charges must be conditional on measurable improvements in infrastructure quality.
“In the current economic climate, these fees are unsustainable and represent a significant burden for rail logistics. On top of all the other challenges in rail transport – which negatively affect service quality and lead to additional costs and uncertainty,” the statement adds.
Unpredictability worsens investment climate
The growing and unpredictable cost of track access reduces the competitiveness of German industry. The associations call for subsidies to be maintained at least at current levels, for greater predictability in how charges are set, and for improvements in the quality of the rail infrastructure.
“Companies need planning reliability. Reliable and affordable track access charges are a key condition for investment and the competitiveness of rail freight transport,” the joint statement concludes.
The five organisations also demand a fundamental overhaul of the track access charging system. They argue that a predictable and fair pricing model is essential to support the modal shift from road to rail and to meet climate targets.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Deutsche Bahn AG / Volker Emersleben
