The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) has presented a position paper on the financing of non-federal railway infrastructure in Germany. The VDV emphasised the need to implement the recommendations of the Rail Acceleration Commission and called for the establishment of a nationwide non-federal infrastructure fund. This fund is supposed to be established in parallel to the existing fund for federally owned railway infrastructure in order to sustainably finance the 39,000 km of operating track in Germany. VDV pointed out that although the financing conditions for non-federally owned railway infrastructure have been improved by the Rail Freight Transport Funding Act (SGFFG) and the amendment to the Municipal Transport Funding Act (GVFG), operational challenges and structural disadvantages remain. A critical review and adjustment of the funding mechanisms is therefore required in order to meet the requirements of the economy and the goals of climate protection.
