Copyright: Deutsche Bahn AG / Benjamin Kedziora
Overall rating of all facilities and stations has improved slightly – More than 380,000 facilities assessed according to school grading system – Network scores 3.00, stations improve to 3.03
Berlin, 15 April 2025
For the first time in years, the condition of the railway infrastructure in Germany has not deteriorated any further. All bridges, tunnels, supporting structures, tracks, points, level crossings, signal boxes, overhead lines and station infrastructure facilities were examined and assessed according to the school grading system. The condition score for the entire rail network improved from 3.03 to 3.00 compared to the previous year, with the area network beyond the main corridors performing better than the heavily used sections with a condition score of 2.96. The condition score for the railway stations improved from 3.09 to 3.03.
Dr Philipp Nagl, CEO of DB InfraGO AG: “This has not happened for many years: we have stopped the deterioration of our infrastructure. The new status report clearly shows that last year’s record construction volume of 19.6 billion euros is well invested. Now it is important to stabilise these funds in the long term – then a real turnaround can be achieved. Despite the current success, many of our facilities and railway stations are still not in good condition. We need to improve them in order to convince customers to use the railway. This will only succeed if we can consistently continue on our modernisation course. The special fund that has been approved offers a unique opportunity to do this.”
Since its launch in January 2024, DB InfraGO has been prioritising funding for investment and maintenance of the existing network in close coordination with the federal government. The clear goal: to stop the ageing of the railway and initiate a turnaround. The InfraGO condition report, for which more than 380,000 infrastructure facilities were assessed, shows initial results. The improved condition score for the rail network is primarily due to new tracks and points, the so-called superstructure is one of the most punctuality-relevant sections. On the Riedbahn between Frankfurt/Main and Mannheim alone, the general refurbishment has improved the condition score for tracks, points, signal boxes and level crossings from 4.20 to 1.52. DB InfraGO was also able to improve the condition score at the 113 completed stations of the future thanks to a large number of new facilities and the upgrading of the existing facility portfolio.
In total, DB InfraGO renewed and modernised around 2,000 kilometres of track, 1,800 points and 120 bridges with an area of around 35,000 square metres as well as 3,500 control and safety technology units last year. In addition, the public-interest orientated company built more than 870 railway stations. This included renewing or replacing more than 200 escalators and lifts, converting around 150 platforms to make them barrier-free and renewing 1,600 monitors and displays for passenger information. At the same time, the ‘stations of the future’ concept was established at 113 stations.
There is still an urgent need for action in the modernisation of control and safety technology. Interlockings only achieve a score of 4.12. Every second of the approximately 4,000 interlockings is in need of modernisation. DB will therefore be replacing 200 outdated signal boxes with modern technology in the coming years. Overall, just under 17 per cent of the systems in the rail network are in need of renewal, while around 35 per cent need to be repaired. This is also reflected in the regional analysis of the state of the infrastructure. The eastern German federal states, where extensive investment has already been made in modernising the rail network since reunification, achieve better condition scores than the states in the rest of Germany. In the case of railway stations, there is a particular need for action in the reception buildings, information and telecommunications technology systems and lifts. Further targeted investment is therefore required to ensure a stable and efficient infrastructure in the long term.
The condition report is a central basis for DB InfraGO to determine the need for maintenance and renewal and to manage these effectively. The non-profit company is responsible for the operation, maintenance and further development of the largest rail network in Europe with over 34,000 kilometres, as well as for the design and operation of around 5,400 stations nationwide.
The refurbishment of the infrastructure is one of three pillars of the S3 refurbishment programme to get the railway back on track. It forms the basis for improving operational quality and punctuality as well as the economic recovery of the Group.
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