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Funding Shortfall Stalls Five Rail Projects, Delays Mitte-Deutschland-Verbindung

Deutsche Bahn is prioritizing network repairs following withheld federal commitments.

Overview

  • The transport ministry confirmed in a parliamentary reply that it has not committed financing for the Mitte-Deutschland-Verbindung, with roughly €2 billion missing through 2029.
  • The WeimarGößnitz segment, a €544 million electrification within the east–west corridor, shifts from a planned 2026 start to 2028, with full electrification now targeted for 2032.
  • Four additional projects lack federal funding for now: work on MunichFreilassing, four-tracking at the Mannheim node, freight upgrades in Regensburg, and the Wallauer Spange to Frankfurt Airport.
  • Deutsche Bahn said the scale of track rehabilitation required gives repairs priority over these ready-planned expansion projects.
  • A Chemnitz meeting on the ChemnitzLeipzig corridor produced no firm decisions; about €9 million is set for planning the ChemnitzGeithain section with detailed plans due in autumn, while local stakeholders criticized unclear timelines and noted 2040 was mentioned as a possible completion date.