The proposal comes at a time when rail is increasingly being called upon as an alternative to inland waterway transport affected by low water levels on the Rhine.
German rail freight operators are facing another significant increase in infrastructure costs in 2027 after DB InfraGO, Germany’s rail infrastructure manager, submitted its proposed track access charges for the next timetable year.
For the standard freight segment, DB InfraGO is seeking a charge of EUR 3.92 per train-kilometre, up from EUR 3.48 currently.
That would represent an increase of around 12.6% and, if approved in this form, would result in an additional annual cost of approximately EUR 112 million for rail freight companies, according to Die Güterbahnen, the German rail freight association.
Freight operators criticise the increase
Die Güterbahnen reacted strongly to the proposal, particularly as the German rail freight sector has recorded declining traffic volumes over the past three years.
«Rail freight, of all sectors, which has had to cope with consistent declines in traffic over the past three years, is once again slated to face the highest percentage price increases,» said Oliver Smock, senior consultant at Die Güterbahnen.
The association argues that the proposed 2027 increase would more than offset the relief recently achieved for 2026.
Following a recalculation of the charges for the current timetable year, infrastructure access costs for freight were reduced by around 12% compared with the levels previously approved.
However, Die Güterbahnen also warns that the federal government plans to reduce subsidies for track access charges, potentially cutting the benefit of that relief by up to EUR 40 million.
Operators plan services without knowing final costs
A major concern for freight companies is the lack of predictability.
Operators have been requesting train paths for the next timetable year since March, even though they still do not know what they will ultimately pay for using the network in 2027.
«Given the problems that have been known for years, it is simply incomprehensible that the Federal Ministry of Transport has yet to present a viable plan for how to control cost increases and the unpredictability of track access charges,» Smock said.
The proposed EUR 3.92 per train-kilometre charge is not yet final. It still has to go through the regulatory approval process.
Die Güterbahnen warns that operators may remain uncertain about the final level of charges until shortly before the December timetable change.
Legal dispute adds further uncertainty
The situation is further complicated by an ongoing legal dispute over Germany’s rail infrastructure charging system.
DB InfraGO is challenging aspects of the cost framework used to determine how much of its infrastructure expenditure can be recovered through track access charges.
According to Die Güterbahnen, the absence of a broader reform of the German charging system means the final 2027 tariff could remain unclear until very late in the process.
For freight operators, the issue is therefore not only the level of the charges but also the difficulty of forecasting costs when negotiating transport contracts and planning services well in advance.
Increase comes at a paradoxical moment
The proposed increase comes at a time when rail freight is being called upon to absorb cargo affected by disruption on Germany’s inland waterways.
Low water levels on the Rhine have reduced the carrying capacity of vessels in recent months, forcing logistics companies to look for alternative land-based transport options.
The situation has been serious enough for DB Cargo to announce that it could make around 400 additional wagons available to customers affected by low water levels.
Other logistics operators have also increased rail capacity along the Rhine corridor as inland waterway transport has become more difficult.
Against this background, a 12.6% increase in rail infrastructure charges would make one of the main alternatives to river transport more expensive precisely when demand for that alternative is rising.
The contrast is particularly striking given Germany’s long-standing policy objective of shifting more freight onto rail, while operators continue to warn that rising network access costs are undermining the sector’s competitiveness.
If DB InfraGO’s proposal is approved in its current form, the standard freight charge would rise to EUR 3.92 per train-kilometre, adding an estimated EUR 112 million per year to the industry’s cost base.
