Train fares are about to hit hard on customers' wallets!
In a concerning development for rail passengers in Germany, the proposed increases in track access charges could lead to a substantial rise in rail fares. The Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has announced that Deutsche Bahn's track access charges will rise by approximately 33% from January 2026, potentially causing an average increase in rail fares of around 3%.
These increases follow smaller hikes planned for 2021, although the exact figures for that year remain less detailed in the sources. The upcoming increases have prompted the EVG rail union (Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsgewerkschaft) to demand urgent action from the German government to prevent excessive fare increases for passengers.
The EVG union argues that without government intervention, the significant increase in track charges will inevitably lead to higher ticket prices for millions of passengers. This could undermine rail's competitiveness as a sustainable transport mode in Germany. The union's key demands include capping or limiting track price increases, adequate public funding and subsidies to offset the track access charge rises, and maintaining rail service quality and accessibility by avoiding cost-driven cutbacks in service.
The infrastructure division of German Rail is justifying the track price hikes by stating the need to generate a return on its own capital. The rail company is receiving an increase in its own capital from the federal government instead of additional subsidies, which is a result of the black-red budget policy. This policy is also responsible for the approved track price increases.
The EVG union's chief, Martin Burkert, has warned of record price increases of more than 10% this year if Members of Parliament do not ease the rail toll during budget negotiations. The reduction in InterCity Express (ICE) services, including fast sprinters, could be as high as 25% if the black-red coalition does not intervene with tax subsidies. Ticket prices for rail customers are expected to rise even more due to the anticipated track price increase in 2026.
In summary, the proposed rail fare increases in Germany are driven by substantial hikes in track access charges. The developments reflect the tension between infrastructure financing and affordable public transport, with the EVG union advocating government support to keep rail travel financially accessible despite rising costs.
| Year | Proposed Fare Impact | Cause | EVG Union Demands | |-------|---------------------|----------------------------|-------------------------------------| | 2021 | Smaller increase (not specifically quantified) | Initial track price adjustments | Government action to limit fare hikes | | 2026 | Approx. 3% average fare increase | 33% rise in track access charges | Cap track price increases, increase subsidies |
- The proposed increases in track access charges for Deutsche Bahn, set to rise by approximately 33% from 2026, could lead to an average increase in rail fares of around 3%.
- The EVG rail union has called for urgent action from the German government to prevent excessive fare increases for passengers, arguing that without intervention, these substantial increases will inevitably lead to higher ticket prices for millions of passengers.
- The EVG union's key demands include capping or limiting track price increases, adequate public funding and subsidies to offset the track access charge rises, and maintaining rail service quality and accessibility by avoiding cost-driven cutbacks in service.
- The infrastructure division of German Rail justifies the track price hikes by stating the need to generate a return on its own capital, a result of the black-red budget policy that provides an increase in capital instead of additional subsidies for the rail company.
