Train path prices in Germany by the end of this year could increase by +37% and this would result in a heavy additional cost of €381 million for companies operating rail freight transport services whose annual turnover total is around seven billion euros. He denounced him today Die Güterbahnen, the national association that represents these companies, explaining that this increase could result from a specific request from DB InfraGO, the company that manages the German railway infrastructure.

Die Güterbahnen has called for a reform that will make these sustainable prices in the long term and in line with the objective of transfer more freight traffic to rail. Second association, this goal can be achieved by setting prices for five years and starting from an initial rate of two euros per freight train per kilometre.

Die Güterbahnen recalled that the Minister of Transport, Patrick Schnieder, had proclaimed his intention to launch the 1 January 2027 a reform of the charging system train paths, but no proposal. "The Minister of Transport - underlined the general manager of the association, Peter Westenberger - must presenting his ideas now, otherwise there is a risk of a real exodus of freight forwarders to road transport. With current price roulette, companies are hardly able to negotiate and are not competitive when trucks can make money points with stable prices".

Die Güterbahnen also recalled that a year ago for The rail freight sector was emerging a scenario similar to the one that is now envisaged, given that it had been A +35% increase in prices per kilometre of price increase that had been avoided at the last minute by the coalition government that had contained the increase in prices at the +6%.