German wagon keepers urge parliament to reverse rail freight funding cuts

The German association of freight wagon keepers VPI has called on the budget committee to reverse planned funding cuts in 2027. The subsidy for track access charges (TAC), for example, would drop to about €200 million, while the TACs themselves are set to rise substantially. The German freight wagon keepers’ association VPI issued its appeal ahead of the budget committee’s transport budget meeting on 4 November. VPI warned that the cuts would lead to higher transport costs and weaker rail connections for industries.

“The federal government wants to bring more freight onto the rails, but it is cutting funding. That does not add up”, commented VPI Chairman Malte Lawrenz. “Declining funding combined with rising costs jeopardises the performance of rail freight, with consequences for the economy, supply and climate protection.” Lawrenz urged parliamentarians to adjust the budget.

The most significant cut concerns TAC subsidies. The existing plan shrinks it to about €200 million in 2027, some €65 million less than originally budgeted for 2026, according to VPI. The association wants a reversal of the subsidy cut. Until the TAC pricing system is reformed, effective relief remains indispensable, VPI argued.

Funding for access to the rail network would shrink as well under the current plan. Single wagonload support would fall from €300 million to about €274 million, funding for intermodal terminals from around €90 million to €73 million and support for sidings from €30 million to €20 million. These instruments keep transport services available for smaller volumes and strengthen industrial supply chains, VPI highlighted.

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