In native transport, many buses and trains are threatened with cancellation this 12 months | EUROtoday

The 12 months 2025 was a turbulent 12 months for rail transport. A brand new authorities and a brand new railway boss introduced outdated guarantees and outdated issues. The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) is now taking inventory. At the annual press convention, President Ingo Wortmann made it clear: “We have achieved a lot, but we are by no means satisfied.” At the middle of the criticism are three subjects: the state of native public transport, the disaster in rail freight transport and a modernization pact that has been promised politically however has not but been fulfilled.

Local transport has nonetheless not overcome the hunch in passenger numbers through the corona pandemic. The so-called transport efficiency elevated from 9.78 billion passenger journeys within the earlier 12 months to 9.86 billion in 2025, however continues to be beneath the pre-crisis degree of 2019 (10.43 billion).

At least the worst fears with the Germany ticket didn’t come true. Despite the value enhance to 63 euros firstly of the 12 months, there is no such thing as a signal of a large lack of prospects. The variety of subscriptions might be 14.6 million on the finish of 2025 – growing by virtually one million inside a 12 months. According to an business survey by the VDV, the termination fee on the flip of the 12 months 2026 is 5.75 p.c. A worth that’s throughout the ordinary vary and can be decrease than within the earlier 12 months.

However, the VDV president will not be fully happy with the ticket, which might be linked to a price index from 2027. “The D-Ticket brought returnees, but no new customers,” says Wortmann. An affordable value is solely not sufficient. The provide additionally has to suit and, above all, be dependable.

The financial state of affairs of public transport firms additionally stays tense. Electricity and diesel costs have risen in recent times – though there has just lately been a slight decline in comparison with 2024. However, personnel prices continued to rise.

The whole expenditure in German public transport presently quantities to round 39 billion euros per 12 months. Transport firms earn round 13 billion euros of this by means of ticket gross sales and different income. The public sector contributes round 26 billion euros per 12 months. An imbalance that’s growing. Transport firms have gotten more and more depending on public budgets, says VDV President Wortmann. And relying on the financial state of affairs, they’ll typically be higher or worse positioned.

There is already a danger of cuts this 12 months

In order to place public transport for the longer term, planning safety and a brand new kind of financing are wanted. Otherwise the implications are foreseeable. Wortmann spoke overtly about cuts in providers; connections could possibly be canceled through the present 12 months and fewer buses and trains could possibly be supplied. This would be the case by the timetable change in December on the newest, if “nothing substantially changes”.

A modernization pact is central to this. Already introduced within the final legislative interval, it has not but been applied. The pact can be expressly anchored within the present coalition settlement. However, “the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Transport have so far refused to implement the modernization pact, citing a lack of additional financial resources, as they fear financial demands from the states and municipalities in particular,” in response to the VDV.

The federal and state governments truly needed to place public transport financing on a brand new authorized foundation, soak up rising prices, create scope for brand new gives and regulate the dynamization. The Municipal Transport Financing Act (GVFG) must also be simplified, lowered in paperwork and financially elevated.

This is precisely what the affiliation sees as short-term leverage. Since 2025, two billion euros have been out there yearly from the GVFG. Through dynamization, financing is predicted to extend to 2.11 billion by 2028. The VDV considers this to be insufficient and is asking for better dynamization, which is linked to a building price index.

The state of affairs in rail freight transport is much more dramatic. Transport efficiency has been declining for years: from round 150 billion tonne-kilometers in 2022 to 133.9 billion in 2025. Rail freight transport is affected by intense competitors with vans, the weak financial system and rising vitality and wage prices.

In addition, there’s a community at its restrict. This 12 months, 28,000 building websites are anticipated on German rails. Around 2,000 greater than in 2025. More building websites imply extra diversions, longer journey occasions and in addition larger bills for transport firms. The diversion routes are additionally extremely prone to disruption and would additionally must be renovated. Ideally, in response to VDV, the choice routes after which the primary routes must be made match once more. But there is no such thing as a time for that anymore and the vital corridors need to be renovated first.

However, the business is questioning the idea of full closures. The most vital rail corridors might be introduced into form over the following few years and a few might be closed for months. The freight railway affiliation additionally warns of a tipping level. Managing director Peter Westenberger says: “If trains can no longer run or transport becomes too expensive due to diversions, customers switch to the road.” Together with sections which have already been closed, round 1,144 kilometers of busy routes might be fully faraway from site visitors in 2026, in response to the affiliation. The business is subsequently calling for full closures to not be made the usual, however moderately to be reviewed on a case-by-case foundation.

However, Deutsche Bahn stays satisfied of the idea of full closures. Further hall renovations will start firstly of February on the vital and closely used routes Hagen-Wuppertal-Cologne and Nuremberg-Regensburg, adopted in the summertime by Hamburg-Hannover and Koblenz-Wiesbaden, amongst others. Train drivers will then need to count on canceled connections and longer journey occasions.

This article was written for the WELT and Economic Competence Center “Business Insider Germany” created.

Klemens Handke is a enterprise editor. He writes about transport coverage, Deutsche Bahn and in addition seems in entrance of the digicam for Business Insider.