80 weeks of paused operations is a lot, but the Dutch had to adapt. The work started in late 2024.

Since then, there have been diversions along other routes and a reduction in capacity. The Netherlands has had to run many thousands of trains less than previously. Naturally, last year’s announcement by Germany that the Third Track connection wouldn’t be completed in the coming decade came as a major disappointment and setback.

German unclarity hinders Dutch infrastructure planning

Germany does not have the capacity to work on the Third Track project. The country is working on a major overhaul of its entire rail network. Other projects are higher on the priority list.

RailFreight.com’s sister publication SpoorPro reported that the Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail still has no plan on how to cope with this situation. “It is still too early to say exactly what impact the works in Germany will have”, spokesperson Marcella Wesseling told SpoorPro. “Whether additional freight trains will be diverted depends on the nature, scale and schedule of the works in Germany. The German side has not yet provided this overview.”

Clearly, coordination between the Dutch and German infrastructure managers is lacking. This puts rail work in the Netherlands in question. ProRail and DB InfraGO had earlier agreed on a timeline that would allow the Dutch to work on ERTMS implementation and renovations in Eindhoven and Venlo.

Political games?

The head of the Dutch rail freight association, Hans-Willem Vroon, told SpoorPro about his suspicions that there are some political games going on. “Perhaps Germany is also sending a signal to The Hague that it believes the Venlo-Kaldenkirchen and Oldenzaal-Bad Bentheim border crossings should be used more frequently.” These are alternative border crossings that could facilitate diversions from the Third Track works.

“Moreover, I suspect that DB InfraGO is deliberately holding back the growth of rail traffic because their rail network simply cannot cope. It is striking, after all, that in Switzerland the complaints about the German feeder and outbound lines are even greater than here, and Switzerland does operate with multiple border crossings.” These include Basel, Schaffhausen and St. Margarethen.

“Last night it was announced that the commissioning of the Ansbach signal box, located on the main diversion route, has to be postponed for the second time”, the association said. Without the new signal box in Ansbach, the diversion route via Treuchtlingen will be highly congested, disrupting traffic to Munich and the rest of Bavaria. “Should a serious incident occur in Ansbach, we see no other option than to postpone the closure of the Nuremberg-Regensburg line until the signal box is operational”, Die Guterbahnen’s managing director Peter Westerberger added.

‘Diversion routes are too fragile’

The association also highlighted how the diversion routes proposed by the German infrastructure manager are too fragile and how operations costs will increase without public support. Moreover, not all the promises made by the DB InfraGO will be kept during the closure of the Regensburg-Nuremberg line, especially regarding rail freight. “For example, the long-announced extensions of passing tracks to a train length of 740 meters will not be carried out during this closure”, Die Guterbahnen underlined. This somewhat adds insult to injury, as rail freight operators will have to struggle during the line closure but will not reap all the benefits.

Companies are now working to clear their backlogs. The success of that depends on border crossing capacity and coordination between the German and Dutch infrastructure managers, operational director of HUPAC Mark Jansen says.

The past two days

Whereas on 6 January some train traffic was possible in the Rotterdam port area, by the next day, all freight trains had halted operations, infrastructure manager ProRail reported. The problems have to do with mass failures of switches. They froze or the large amounts of snow got them stuck in one position.

The winter problems were concentrated around the Botlek and Waalhaven ports, as well as rail yard Kijfhoek. The important hinterland Betuwe line to Germany was also limited to a single track for some time.

That target seems very far off when reading the Bundesnetzagentur’s report. Only a single percent (526 kilometres) of tracks was equipped with the technology by the end of 2024. That percentage has likely been boosted somewhat in 2025 by the modernisation of the Riedbahn corridor, which saw the introduction of ETCS Level 2.

ETCS is proving to be a persistent problem for German rail: companies highlight inconsistent ETCS standards, disruptions, and uncertainty regarding future ETCS deployment and regulation.

Within that context, Bundesnetzagentur points to the likelihood of re-upgrading rolling stock to newer versions of ETCS. “With regard to the further rollout of ETCS on the German rail network, upgrades may be required, particularly for older system versions, meaning that these vehicles would once again require conversion resources.” That is a costly affair, as illustrated in the figure below.

Germany has 15,950 locomotives in operation, of which some 2,200 are ETCS-equipped. The 1,500 mainline locomotives (out of 2,800) account for the largest share of vehicles with ETCS. Germany also has 650 ETCS Multiple-Units with the train control system, as well as 30 shunting locomotives.

The agency also identified the lack of electrification, incompatibilities in overhead line sections, and stray currents that locally prevent the use of modern locomotives as hindrances in the rail industry.

In 2024, the overall electrification rate for the German rail network stood at slightly over 55%. This figure reflects a stagnation at the previous year’s levels for both federally and non-federally owned routes. Specifically, 62.4% of the Deutsche Bahn-operated rail network was electrified, while the electrification rate for non-federally owned networks remained low, at approximately 11%.

Why is Germany so slow?

In stark contrast to Germany, countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Italy and the Czech Republic are making faster technological progress on their rail networks. Belgium has already equipped its entire core rail network with ETCS. The Czech Republic, with around 15% already completed, is aiming for full implementation in 2035. Meanwhile, Italy has reduced adaptation costs by 30% through a coordinated approach and is on track for full implementation in 2036.

Germany is facing implementation problems with its railway network due to a fragmented administrative structure (federal, state and company levels share responsibility) and technical complexity, writes our sister publication RailTech.com. Regional signalling systems require costly and time-consuming installation of ETCS equipment in diverse rolling stock. The average cost of this installation has doubled in four years to around €900,000 per vehicle, with additional costs and delays due to specific German regulations. As a result, even renovated lines are being reopened without ETCS, while transport operators await clearer policy on large-scale modifications. For example, the Hamburg-Berlin railway is not getting ETCS despite the months-long closure.

Even though the legal changes were approved over a month ago, DB InfraGO tried to stop the new legal limitations to TAC increases. DB InfraGO attempted to push for higher price increases and even bypass parliament, according to rail freight association Die Güterbahnen. That did not succeed – TACs only grew by 6% on Sunday 14 December.

The new kilometre charge for a standard freight train will be 3.93 euros. That is by no means a financial improvement, especially considering that Germany cut the budget for TAC subsidies by 10 million euros for a total of 265 million euros. Companies will pay more and get less compensation for it.

Opportunities and risks in 2026

However, there is a chance that German rail freight can reach close to a net-zero change later in 2026. The law amendment in question stipulates that a subsidy review will take place in spring, which could lead to an increase in TAC subsidies. The increase would be financed through repayments from DB InfraGO to the government, because the infrastructure manager failed to properly implement a restructuring programme. If those repayments turn out high enough, it could offset the 6% TAC increase.

Uncertainty about the new charges lasted up until the last moment. Next year may be no different, with a new battle on TACs on the horizon. DB InfraGO wants them to grow to 5.40 euros per driven kilometre, an increase of almost 40%. Furthermore, Die Güterbahnen explains, a pending European Court of Justice decision on preferential TAC policy for local passenger rail may also change the context for 2027.

“Rail freight cannot rely on parliament standing up to DB InfraGO every year”, comments policy officer at Die Güterbahnen Oliver Smock. “The German track access charge system has spiraled out of control in recent years and would continue to lead to explosive increases. Long-term reliability and prices acceptable in the competitive transport sector can only be achieved with a genuine track access charge reform.”

The work on the German side has resulted in frequent single-track and double-track outages on the Hollandstrecke since November of last year. These have already led to diversions for freight trains in the Netherlands. These diversions were put in place through collaboration between ProRail, DB InfraGO, and passenger and freight operators. The most important diversion is the Brabant Route, which runs from the Port of Rotterdam via the Kijfhoek rail yard, Breda, Tilburg, Eindhoven, and border point Venlo to Germany.

The Brabant Route is already very congested with passenger traffic, so handling 135 freight trains on days when the Betuwe Route is closed was a near-impossible task. Thanks to sophisticated planning, developed over several years, the problems for both passenger and freight transport have so far been manageable.

One more long-term, full-service closure is planned, from April 20 to May 17, 2026. At the end of May, the 80-week project, during which Germany is working hard on the third track, will be completed. But, as it turns out, the job won’t be finished by the end of May 2026. Not by a long shot.

No delivery date

“To date, our German colleagues have not yet issued a planned completion date for the complete construction of the third track,” state secretary Aartsen explains. “However, it is generally clear that there is limited room for further work on the third track until 2030 due to the overlap of other railway projects in the Netherlands and Germany. Furthermore, not all the necessary environmental and building permits for the remaining part of the third track have been finalised yet. To add to that, large-scale work will be carried out in Germany between 2025 and 2035 to replace and upgrade the infrastructure to European standards. This work could impact the capacity to build the third track, even after 2030.”

In this context, the German side has unfortunately still not been able to provide a planned completion date for the third track. Based in part on information obtained from ProRail, the current picture is that, depending on factors such as the further planning of large-scale construction in Germany, particularly for the period after 2030, a full connection of the Betuwe Line to the third track in Germany will not be completed within the next 10 years.

Aartsen says he deeply regrets this situation. “The completion of the third track is crucial for the Dutch railway network, particularly the Betuwe Line. I will reiterate this position in my contacts with German counterparts. In these discussions, I will also emphasise the importance of investments in other cross-border sections and the further development of international passenger and freight connections in terms of quality and quantity. Where possible, I want to intensify cooperation in order to achieve a concrete, planned completion date for the third track and to accelerate the work in Germany,” he concludes his letter to parliament. What the news means for the planned work in the Netherlands is still uncertain.

ProRail ‘not amused’

ProRail is equally unhappy with the news from Germany. “As part of the 80-week service period, DB InfraGO and ProRail agreed back in 2022 that no major service closures would be planned between Kijfhoek and Oberhausen via the Betuwe Line after the 80-week period from May 2026 until the end of 2027,” the Dutch infrastructure manager stated in a report addressed to Aartsen.

This is because the Netherlands can then carry out work on the routes from its ports to Venlo and Bad Bentheim (partly postponed due to the 80-week period), which are also of great importance to the Netherlands. These include ERTMS implementation, a renovation in Eindhoven, and one in Venlo. This was also shared with the parties in the third-track consulting group at the time, according to ProRail.

“In summary, ProRail and DB InfraGO have agreed that large-scale work on the third track cannot take place from mid-2026 to the end of 2027. Due to the decision in Germany regarding the work around Cologne, large-scale work on the third track cannot take place in 2028 and 2030. Working on the third track between 2026 and 2030 would mean that the Netherlands (for Rotterdam and other ports) would have very little rail connection to Germany.”

This article was originally published by our sister publication SpoorPro.nl. 

As part of the plan, Deutsche Bahn should get a clear financing structure and an effective organisational structure. Moreover, federal measures include targeted management through “an appropriate governance concept”, the provision of federal funds and promoting digitalisation.

The transport ministry also says that it wants a “Reliable Rail” task force, a strengthened sector advisory board, fair access conditions to the rail network, and joint digitalisation initiatives.

What does it mean for rail freight?

For rail freight, there are some important plans in the new strategy. For one, Germany’s national freight operator DB Cargo will have to return to profitability by 2026, as was already the case. “The restructuring measures at DB Cargo AG must be continued and, if necessary, intensified”, the strategy says.

Also in the SWL segment, where DB Cargo dominates with around a 90% market share, the transport ministry has ideas (or rather, an idea). It “will examine the transformation of single-wagon transport combined with a hub system”, it says, without elaborating further.

Germany’s notorious track access charges (TAC) system will also undergo changes. By 1 January 2027, there should be a reform in place, but it remains unclear how that will look in practice. The transport ministry explains, however, that it has already started the first important legislative reform steps to reduce TACs charged by DB InfraGO. “These include, among other things, the increased use of construction cost subsidies, a reduction in the equity interest rate, and increased maintenance subsidies.”

A more independent infrastructure manager

And when it comes to DB InfraGO, the infrastructure manager will be further distanced from the DB Group. Currently, the DB Group controls DB InfraGO via a control and profit-transfer agreement, meaning that DB InfraGO’s management must follow DB’s instructions. The government is questioning whether this arrangement should continue.

In the first half of 2026, Berlin will decide whether DB should still be able to direct InfraGO’s decisions, or whether DB InfraGO should gain more independence. Even before that, DB’s framework will be changed so that any instruction by DB that affects the infrastructure manager must first be approved by DB’s Supervisory Board.

Moreover, Germany wants to make sure that all DB InfraGO profits are reinvested into infrastructure. It rules out the use of infrastructure-related profit to cover for losses of the broader DB Group. The ministry underlines that InfraGO’s role includes ensuring non-discriminatory access for all freight operators.

Then there are proposed changes in the personnel area. The infrastructure board position at DB group level will be abolished, says the transport ministry. Instead, the CEO of DB InfraGO will get a stronger position, becoming responsible for infrastructure quality and ensuring a smooth, non-discriminatory operation for all operators.

Rail task force

The German transport ministry is also signalling that it wants more sector input in policy-making. “A significantly greater reliability on the railways is only possible together with the entire sector and the federal states”, it says. For that reason, the ministry is establishing a temporary “Reliable Rail” task force.

The task force should bring together the federal government, the states, railway undertakings, the Federal Railway Authority, the Federal Network Agency, contracting authorities, trade unions, and DB InfraGO. “The goal of the taskforce is to initiate a joint package of measures with quickly effective levers. Wherever possible, these levers should already begin to take effect from 2027.”

By the end of March 2026, Germany hopes to address some key issues through the task force, among which are the optimisation of services in highly congested nodes, simplifying operating rules and reducing construction timetables.

New CEO appointments

The strategy plan is accompanied by new high-level appointments at DB. The German transport ministry proposes Evelyn Palla, who now heads the DB Regio passenger branch of the group, as the new CEO of DB. The person to lead the more independent DB InfraGO is Dirk Rompf, who is now managing director at the strategy consultancy Ifok, to head infrastructure manager DB InfraGO.

Private rail freight association Die Güterbahnen has reacted positively to the nomination of Evelyn Palla, together with rail competition association mofair: “The associations of competitive railways, mofair and Die Güterbahnen, support transport minister Patrick Schnieder’s proposal to appoint DB Regio CEO Evelyn Palla as CEO of DB Group”, they write.

“Palla is aware of the need for restructuring and the DB’s image problems. From her work at the Austrian State Railways (ÖBB), she also knows that and how a corporate infrastructure can function without a control agreement and profit entitlement. Now all that’s missing are robust ownership and infrastructure strategies from the federal government.”

“The railway industry is tired of the same old salami tactics: promises are made, then watered down bit by bit in the most opaque way possible, while politicians fail to intervene”, commented Peter Westenberger, managing director of private rail freight association Die Güterbahnen. “For almost all full closures, DB has already extended the ‘core closure.’”

Out of control

Now, matters seem to be getting worse. The struggling rail freight sector would benefit from predictability and consistent availability of infrastructure to provide a reliable service to customers. That seems to be getting more difficult with DB InfraGO’s plans.

“During corridor rehabilitation, it was always stated that a five-month closure would be followed by at least five, and initially even up to ten, years without construction”, Westenberger adds. “With an uncontrolled extension of the closure period, DB InfraGO is depriving not only the railway companies but also the stressed entire rail system of its business basis.”

Die Güterbahnen calls upon the German federal government to intervene and to “prevent DB from doing what it wants.”

“Better advance planning and more efficient construction are key. We hope that the Minister of Transport will end the current practice of issuing free passes to DB in his rail strategy, which will be presented on September 22nd”, Westenberger concludes.

“Anyone who seriously wants to shift traffic from road to rail must fundamentally reform the track access charging system.” Germany’s TAC system is notoriously complex and favours local passenger rail over freight and long-distance passenger traffic. The last two bear a disproportionate amount of the costs.

“Until this reform is implemented, significantly higher track access subsidies would have been absolutely essential. Instead, the federal government is responsible for massive misguided incentives in the system.”

DB InfraGO wants higher TACs

To make matters worse for German rail freight, the country’s infrastructure manager DB InfraGO has applied for a 24% TAC increase in 2026. “For our members, it is now a matter of survival”, comments Wesseln. According to Die Güterbahnen, such an increase would be“not out of necessity”, but rather “to reap high profits from the rail network.”

“The industry’s last hope lies in the planned law to reduce [DB InfraGO’s] profit claims, which will be debated […] next Wednesday”, says Wesseln. “However, the ‘moderate’ reduction in returns provided for in the bill is not enough. Relief will only come when DB InfraGO is finally operated consistently in the public interest and without profit. Rail is a public good – and must no longer be allowed to degenerate into a profit machine that drives transport away from rail.”

DB InfraGO has announced the introduction of a digitalised form of commands in December 2025. Throughout 2026, its use will be voluntary and on a trial basis. Under the new system, a dispatcher can create a command message, which is then stored in a cloud. The train driver will get a code via the GSM-R device in the locomotive, with which they can retrieve the command message via an internet browser when the train is stationary.

Security, resilience, efficiency

The German infrastructure manager says that the new digitalised system can boost efficiency and prevent mistakes. For example, despite it being forbidden, command dictation often takes place in local dialects, which can lead to misunderstandings. Command registration can then take a long time, and therefore lead to delays.

According to DB InfraGO, digital commands also boost security and resilience. However, there are doubts about the security gains. Some argue that verbal command issuance strengthens the perceived importance of the order in critical situations.