A leading economic institute is urging Germany’s Transport Minister to swiftly implement planned structural reforms for the national railway, Deutsche Bahn. Thomas Puls, a transport expert at the Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW), emphasized the importance of adhering to the proposals outlined in the governing coalition agreement.
Puls, speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, highlighted the financing model as a crucial element. He proposed a system mirroring the Austrian approach, where road infrastructure largely self-finances through truck tolls, allowing the federal budget to prioritize railway investment.
He specifically advocated for an established railway infrastructure fund, as stipulated in the coalition agreement, to provide long-term financial security for upgrading the rail network. This, Puls explained, would reduce Deutsche Bahn’s reliance on annual budget allocations and provide greater stability for planned modernization projects.
The IW expert also endorsed progressing with the separation of the rail network from operations, albeit within an integrated corporate structure, characterizing it as a positive step.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Puls commented on the difficult task facing the incoming CEO of Deutsche Bahn. He anticipates significant public scrutiny and emphasized the long-term nature of the ongoing network renovations, requiring a resilient individual to lead the organization through these complex improvements.
