The federate state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has announced plans to electrify more than 250 km of its railway network by 2032, increasing the electrification rate to up to 72%. NRW's Ministry of the Environment and Transport presented these objectives during a site visit to the electrification project on the S28 Wuppertal – Kaarst regional train line. By 2028, the electrification of the 164 km Eifelstrecke line from Hürth-Kalscheuren via Nettersheim to Trier-Ehrang, the 33 km Voreifelbahn line between Bonn and Euskirchen, as well as the 14 km Erfttalbahn line between Euskirchen and Bad Münstereifel is planned. Partial electrification of the Langeland – Höxter-Ottbergen line is also planned by 2029. In the 2030s, the ministry plans to partially electrify the Münster – Gronau – Enschede line, the Euregiobahn line, the Horrem – Bedburg line and the Gronau – Coesfeld line. From 2035, the Bördebahn and the Obere Ruhrtalbahn lines will be part of the target network plan. Currently, electrification work is underway on the western branch of the Regiobahn line between Neuss and Kaarster See, as well as on the eastern branch between Düsseldorf-Gerresheim and Wuppertal-Vohwinkel. This project is part of the extension of the S28 line from Mettmann-Stadtwald to Wuppertal and also includes adjusted platform heights and integration with the S9 line. The financing of such state-funded projects is eligible for subsidies under the Municipal Transport Financing Act (GVFG).
