Thuringia demands financial compensation from the federal government for rising track access charges following ECJ ruling

According to the ministry's assessment, the financial situation of the contracting authorities in regional transport is increasingly strained. Several transport associations and railway companies had pointed to rising costs and expiring contracts in recent months. Without compensation, a reduction in train services would be imminent, particularly in rural areas.

Reactions from the federal government and states

The Federal Ministry of Transport stated that it took the concerns of the states seriously and was examining possible solutions. A final position on the amount of compensation was not initially communicated. The federal government refers to ongoing negotiations with the states on the financing of regional transport.

The ruling by the European Court of Justice concerned a lawsuit by a competitor company against the track access charge pricing of DB InfraGO. The court found that the previous calculation methodology was not compatible with EU law in all respects. As a result, the track access charges had to be recalculated, leading to additional revenue for the infrastructure subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn and higher burdens for the contracting entities.

Demands from the business community

In the northern German states, discontent over the cost development is growing. Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern had already pointed to the strained budget situation in the past. With the current initiative from Thuringia, pressure on the federal government to find a uniform solution for all states could increase further. The upcoming meetings of the Transport Ministers' Conference are also expected to address the issue.

Observers expect that the discussion about track access charges will also reach the Bundestag. Opposition factions have already announced that they will bring the issue to the Transport Committee. This concerns not only the specific compensation but also the fundamental financing of local rail passenger transport in the coming years.

The Thuringian Ministry of Transport announced that it would push for a quick solution together with other states. Schütz emphasized that the mobility transition must not be slowed down by inadequate financing of the track infrastructure. He expected the federal government to live up to its responsibility and compensate for the financial consequences of the ECJ ruling.

There are also warning voices from the business community. The Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsgewerkschaft pointed out that higher track access charges could indirectly make it more difficult to invest in new trains and infrastructure. This would be counterproductive in the long term for the climate targets in the transport sector. The Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen called for a reliable financing basis.

Until a political solution is reached, it remains unclear to what extent the states can absorb the rising costs from their own resources. Several states announced in recent weeks that they would reduce regional transport services if necessary. This would push the goal set out in the coalition agreement of an attractive and comprehensive local rail passenger transport further into the distance.