{"id":451011,"date":"2026-06-10T20:26:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T10:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=71646"},"modified":"2026-06-10T20:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T10:26:08","slug":"db-infrago-breaks-all-its-infrastructure-promises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=451011","title":{"rendered":"\u2018DB InfraGO breaks all its infrastructure promises\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The German rail infrastructure manager DB InfraGO is working hard to improve its network. Whereas an improved network quality is highly welcome, the ongoing works mean that there are many closures and detours. InfraGO made promises in this regard to limit the negative impact of these closures in 2022, but has not kept any of these promises.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>DB InfraGO made four promises in 2022 ahead of the start of the large-scale infrastructure works. First, the infrastructure manager said that functioning detours would be in place during closures.<\/p>\n

Second, closures would last a maximum of five months. There would also be standardised rail layout redos to improve the infrastructure quality, and the infrastructure manager would leave modernised corridors untouched for five to ten years after completing the works.<\/p>\n

None of these promises have been kept, according to the German rail freight association Die G\u00fcterbahnen. The broken promises have contributed to a dire situation on the German railways. Over the past few weeks, freight traffic on the German rail network has been confronted with increasingly absurd scenarios.<\/p>\n

“Malfunctions in signals, switches, and overhead lines, combined with missing schedules and poorly coordinated construction sites, have led to detours lasting days and covering many kilometres, or to unnecessarily long wait times”, the association tells RailFreight.com. It organised a webinar on the rail infrastructure works, detailing where DB InfraGO went wrong with its promises.<\/p>\n

DB InfraGO’s track record<\/h2>\n

The ongoing Hamburg\u2013Berlin closure is a case in point when it comes to functioning detours. DB InfraGO closed one of the main detour routes for similar modernisation work: the railway between Uelzen and Hannover. There are also planned disruptions towards Bremen, which means that Hamburg is surrounded by infrastructure works. Clearly, this does not coincide with the idea of functioning detours.<\/p>\n

It does not look like this will improve heading into the future: Germany is planning to close the Bronnzell railway near Fulda without suitable detours. During the closure, the right bank of the Rhine and the Main-Weser Railway (for example, the Kassel\u2013Frankfurt line) will also be closed. The next best detour option would then be the left bank of the Rhine, but this route will be heavily congested due to traffic diverted from the right bank of the Rhine, says Die G\u00fcterbahnen.<\/p>\n

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Closed sections of rail are highlighted in orange. Image: \u00a9 Die G\u00fcterbahnen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DB InfraGO also has not stuck to the plan to close sections of rail for a maximum of five months only. The Hamburg\u2013Berlin closure lasted for over ten months, after DB InfraGO had unilaterally upped the limit to 5.5 months (and still exceeded it afterwards).<\/p>\n

Moreover, the German infrastructure manager has also failed to stick to its quality improvement promise. Die G\u00fcterbahnen refers to the renovation between Hagen and Cologne, which disappointed by adding only minor improvements to signal boxes.<\/p>\n

Lastly, recently renovated German railways will also not be exempt from further works in the coming decade. For example, a renewed closure between Troisdorf and Wiesbaden has been announced by DB InfraGO. The Hamburg\u2013Berlin railway will also need extra treatment. In the coming weeks, signalling and safety systems need upgrades. It has only only been made “ETCS-ready”, which means ETCS will need to be implemented at a later stage. Earlier, the plan was to implement ETCS during the currently ongoing renovations on all corridors.<\/p>\n

The minister’s duty<\/h2>\n

Die G\u00fcterbahnen says that the benefits of the rail network overhaul would have outweighed its negative effects had DB InfraGO stuck to its original commitments. The way things are going now is \u201ccompletely unacceptable\u201d, the association says.<\/p>\n

The association’s conclusion is unambiguous: the German transport minister Patrick Schnieder has a duty to review the corridor renovation concept and totransform it into a joint concept with the rail freight sector. He should also guarantee that complete closures will only take place if the detour plan allows it, says Die G\u00fcterbahnen. Schnieder should additionally make sure that DB InfraGO keeps its promises and that there is proper compensation for costs incurred due to long detours.<\/p>\n

Earlier, RailFreight.com wrote that Germany has completely lost control over its rail network. Rail operators are witnessing \u201cabsurd scenes\u201d, where a minor disruption can cause ripple effects across the entire country and internationally.<\/p>\n