Germany's rail freight crisis deepens as 2025 performance hits decade-low
Germany's rail freight industry remains stuck in a long downturn. Despite efforts to modernise, performance in 2025 still lags behind 2016 levels. The sector faces mounting pressure from economic stagnation, rising costs, and infrastructure problems.
Operators and industry groups are now pushing for urgent changes to revive the struggling network.
Freight transport volumes reached only 133.9 billion tonne-kilometres last year—far below figures from nearly a decade ago. The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) blames the decline on economic weakness, higher tariffs, and bureaucratic delays. Soaring costs and unreliable funding have also made planning difficult for rail operators.
Track closures and construction work continue to disrupt services, creating bottlenecks and driving up expenses. Last-minute changes to access charges add to the uncertainty, making it harder for companies to schedule trains efficiently. The VDV warns that without better coordination, modernisation efforts could do more harm than good.
In response, the association has proposed a series of reforms to policymakers. These include more flexible closure rules for freight lines during upgrades and safeguarding alternative routes when tracks are out of service. The VDV also wants a review of tendering rules for major projects funded by the special infrastructure and climate neutrality fund. Large operators like TransnetBW, EnBW, and DVF have backed the calls, arguing that current restrictions slow down essential improvements.
Reliability remains the top priority for the industry. The VDV stresses that long-term planning and stable funding are crucial if rail freight is to compete with road transport. Without these changes, the sector risks falling further behind.
The VDV's proposals aim to ease the pressure on freight operators by cutting red tape and improving infrastructure management. If adopted, the reforms could help stabilise services and reduce delays. But without swift action, Germany's rail freight sector may struggle to recover from its prolonged decline.
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