German regulator approves new 2026 track charges after ECJ ruling

At DB InfraGO, charges for regional services rise by 9%, while those for long-distance and freight services fall by 17% and 12% (DB RegioNetz Infrastruktur: plus 11%, minus 18%, minus 14%). Regional services bear about EUR 400 million in additional costs in total, with long-distance and freight relieved accordingly; retroactive invoice corrections are settled directly between the operators and the infrastructure managers.

On 22 July 2026 the Bundesnetzagentur revoked the 2026 track-access charges approved in December 2025 and set them anew, because the ECJ ruled on 19 March 2026 that the cap on regional rail charges written into the Railway Regulation Act breaches EU law; that cap had shifted DB InfraGO's cost burden mainly onto long-distance and freight traffic. Compared with the old approval, DB InfraGO's charges for regional services rise by 9%, while those for long-distance and freight services fall by 17% and 12%; at DB RegioNetz Infrastruktur the changes are plus 11%, minus 18% and minus 14%, and in total regional services bear about EUR 400 million more. The regulator intends to decide later this year on whether to revoke and reset the 2025 charge system. (LOK Report, 22 Jul 2026)