Deutsche Bahn announces record investment of over 13 bln euros in climate push

Germany’s national railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) has announced it is investing a record €13.6 billion in improving its network in a bid to encourage travellers to take more climate-friendly journeys. The organization said in a press release that it will modernise and renew around 1,800km of track, 2,000 switch points, 140 bridges and 800 stations, creating larger network capacity and making the existing infrastructure more efficient. There will also be a focus on digitalisation."A strong infrastructure is the basis for an attractive offer for all rail passengers," said DB's infrastructure director Ronald Pofalla. "We want to convince more people to use the environmentally friendly railway as a means of transport.” Every euro invested in rail is therefore also a euro invested in climate protection, he argued.

Improving the national railway system is a core element of Germany's plans for getting its transport sector on track towards climate neutrality, which so far has been among the most stubborn to decarbonise. The previous government said at least three billion euros annually should go to rail infrastructure in a bid to make its entire network greener, more efficient and more reliable.Germany’s Green Party, which makes up part of the current coalition government, sees DB as a key part of the climate transition and wants to double its passenger numbers by 2030.