Nuremberg–Passau rail renovation: stage 1 commissioning delayed

DB InfraGO is renewing the Nuremberg–Regensburg–Passau line in two corridor-renovation stages: stage 1 Nuremberg–Regensburg (88 km, 6 February–31 July 2026, incl. 96 km of track, 74 switches, 81 km of overhead line, 20 stations) and stage 2 Obertraubling–Passau (115 km, 14 June–12 December 2026, roughly 120 km of track, over 140 switches, about 90 km of overhead line, 8 stations). Both stages prepare the line for the later full ETCS Level 2 rollout under the overarching "Nuremberg – Passau – Border" project (Digitale Schiene Deutschland), targeted for completion by 2030. As of July 2026, commissioning of the new interlocking technology on stage 1 is delayed pending safety checks, while stage 2 is proceeding on schedule. Update (3 Nov 2025): DB InfraGO currently puts the total cost of the general overhaul of the Nuremberg–Regensburg section, including a risk buffer, at €1.38 billion; the federal government says in its reply to a Greens inquiry that the cost framework has remained unchanged since the individual measures were bundled into one project in 2024. Once the work is complete, DB InfraGO expects a clear improvement in track condition, as with the Riedbahn pilot, where the network condition score improved by 1.5 grade points; the result of the economic-efficiency assessment with the benefit-cost ratio was not yet available. (LOK Report, 3 Nov 2025; second source: German Bundestag, printed paper 21/2435) Update (18 Dec 2025): The Free State of Bavaria puts the additional cost of rail replacement services during the whole Nuremberg–Regensburg–Passau corridor overhaul at about EUR 28 million; on stage 1 and the diversion routes, over 90 buses spread across eight lines run at peak times (together over 45,000 km a day), RE 40 is being strengthened with coupled units, and all 20 stations between Feucht and Regensburg-Prüfening are being modernised. The construction work for stage 2 went to four bidder groups after a Europe-wide tender, among them EUROPTEN, which in August 2025 won four of six overhead-line lots worth about EUR 80 million (about 60 km of overhead line, around 800 foundations and masts); eight stations on the Obertraubling–Passau line are being modernised, including lifts at Osterhofen and Radldorf. (LOK Report, 13 Oct, 11 Nov, 21 Nov and 18 Dec 2025) Update (21 Sep 2026): Stage 1, Nuremberg–Regensburg, has been back in regular service since 1 August 2026; the safety checks on the new interlockings took longer than planned and pushed back the reopening planned for 10 July, and S3 trains ran between Nuremberg and Neumarkt from 27 July. After 25 weeks without regular train services, DB InfraGO cites a cost forecast cut by a three-digit million sum and more renewed assets than planned (over 100 km of track, 1,300 catenary masts, 20 stations). Stage 2, Obertraubling–Passau (investment of about EUR 1.3 billion including a risk buffer), has been on schedule since its start on 14 June 2026: since the night of 11 July the Passau–Plattling section can again be used by freight trains on a single track, and at the halfway point track work was done on 89 of 120 km with 600 catenary masts in place. Since 21 September 2026 the RE 3 has again served Munich–Plattling at hourly intervals; in the third and final construction phase Plattling–Passau stays on replacement buses until 12 December 2026. (LOK Report, 12 Jun, 8 Jul, 14 Jul, 23 Jul, 31 Jul, 5 Aug and 21 Sep 2026)