VDVA says EUR 64bn needed for urban rail infrastructure by 2030

The German Public Transport Operators Association (VDVA) has submitted a report to government with the results of a study into the infrastructure investment needed on urban transit networks to keep them in good condition. 

 

It identified 451km of metro (U-Bahn) lines and 6320km of tramway and light rail (Stadtbahn) that would need EUR 64bn in investment by the end of the decade, and an additional EUR 4.5bn for expansion to cope with rising traffic levels. The federal programme for investment in public transport (GVFG) functions well, amounting to EUR 902M in 2022, but the number of projects bidding for funding has increased fourfold, so an increase to EUR 3bn annually is needed. 

 

For the government, the VDVA report is being read alongside one from the German Automobile Club (ADAC) that says EUR 283bn will need to be invested in 714 000km of roads over the same period. This is at a time when the public financial deficit increased by 6.4% (EUR 127.3bn) in 2022 and borrowing increased to EUR 42.1bn in the first half of 2023.