German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of railway renovations, particularly the progress of the so-called corridor upgrades. “I am not at all satisfied with the way the corridor renovations have been implemented so far – modernising tracks, points, railway infrastructure and signalling and safety systems,” Bilger told Der Spiegel. “You cannot explain to anyone why commuter routes have to remain closed for so long and the situation is still no better afterwards.”
Bilger said he intends to be judged by the progress made in improving the railway system. “By 2029, for example, 70 percent of long-distance trains are supposed to arrive on time,” he said. “That may not sound like much, but given the backlog of repairs on the rail network, it is quite an ambitious target.”
The corridor renovation programme was introduced by former Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz and former Transport Minister Volker Wissing. The original plan called for more than 40 corridors to be renovated by 2030, but this timetable was subsequently extended. Several railway routes have already been renovated. However, some projects have been completed later than planned and at higher costs than originally expected.
The approach to future renovations is also set to change. As new Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla recently announced, fewer corridor renovation projects are expected to be carried out each year. The railway company is likely to undertake two to three renovations annually instead of the previous four, Palla said.
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