Germany adopts relief package to curb rising rail track access charges

A market-standard equity interest rate of 5.9% compares with a federal return expectation lowered to 2.2%; without the rule DB InfraGO's track charges would rise more steeply from 2026, and BASF warned of an increase of 35%. The package is meant to dampen fares and freight rates in 2026; a fundamental reform of the track pricing system is still pending.

On 14 November 2025 the Federal Transport Ministry presented, following decisions by Bundestag committees, a relief package against rising track access charges: the 2025 long-distance subsidy of €105 million will be paid out after all, €265 million of federal funds are available for rail freight in 2026 (topped up by penalties under the LuFV III performance agreement), and the equity interest rate used for DB InfraGO's track access charges is to be cut to 1.9% by law, with the act due to enter into force in 2025. The trigger is the capital increase for DB AG: a market-standard rate of 5.9% compares with a federal return expectation lowered to 2.2%; without the rule track prices would have risen by 35%, according to BASF (hearing of 13 October 2025), and the Transport Committee approved the 1.9% on 12 November 2025 without opposing votes. Previously the ministry had halted payment of the €105 million, according to VDV and mofair (report of 3 November 2025), citing doubts about efficiency and effectiveness after criticism by the Federal Court of Auditors, until the Budget Committee obliged it to release the money (report of 10 November 2025); long-distance track access charges had risen by 17.7% from 2024 to 2025. Experts at the hearing and the Bundesrat (report of 7 October 2025) mostly regard the act as a first but insufficient step and call for a fundamental reform concept, and DB Fernverkehr says the subsidy lets it keep its fares constant in the next timetable year. (LOK Report, 7 Oct to 14 Nov 2025)