Federal government provides nearly EUR 36m for digital automatic coupling

The federal government provides almost EUR 36 million for equipping and retrofitting pioneer trains, research and development projects and studies; for the first time rail freight players can test the DAK in real operation, and the findings are meant to prepare a decision on introducing it across Europe. Project outlines are to be submitted to the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) from 14 to 25 September 2026.

With the PioDAK guideline, published in the Federal Gazette on 4 September 2026, and the first funding call, support for the digital automatic coupling moves to the next stage: the federal government provides almost EUR 36 million to equip or retrofit rail freight pioneer trains with the coupling and to finance research projects and studies. For the first time rail freight players can test the technology in real operation, after the DAK demonstrator research project was completed; the results are meant to allow a sound decision on introducing the coupling across Europe. The Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility accepts project outlines from 14 to 25 September 2026. (LOK Report, 7 Sep 2026)