Lübeck scraps tram revival, sparking climate and transport backlash

A bold vision for greener transport collapses under cost fears. Now, activists and politicians clash over Lübeck’s future—and its climate commitments.

, and Administrator

2025 November 28 . 7:30 PM

1 min read

This is the picture of a city. In this image there are vehicles on the road. At the back there are... — This is the picture of a city. In this image there are vehicles on the road. At the back there are buildings and trees and poles and there are boards on the poles and there are boards on the buildings and there is text on the boards. At the top there is sky. At the bottom there is a road. At the back there is a train. At the bottom right there is a railing.

Lübeck scraps tram revival, sparking climate and transport backlash

Lübeck’s city council is set to abandon plans for reintroducing trams to the city. The decision will remove trams from the upcoming 15-year traffic development plan. Critics argue the move avoids modernisation and undermines climate change targets.

The tram project faced strong opposition over costs, with CDU councilor Ulrich Brock calling it financially unfeasible. Even optimistic estimates placed the price tag in the hundreds of millions. Supporters, however, claimed trams would remain the most economical long-term option, even without subsidies.

A proposed 40-kilometre network was expected to boost public transport use from 11% to 20%. Advocates saw it as key to meeting climate change goals and easing traffic congestion. Lutz Kuwalsky, spokesperson for the 'Tram for Kiel' group, criticised the decision as taking the 'path of least resistance' instead of investing in future-proof infrastructure.

Arne-Matz Ramcke of the Green Party expressed disappointment but noted potential financial benefits if the plans had moved forward. Despite the setback, both the Green Party and 'Tram for Kiel' vowed to keep pushing for trams as a solution to Lübeck’s transport challenges.

The council’s vote will finalise the exclusion of trams from Lübeck’s long-term transport strategy. Without them, the city will rely on alternative measures to address congestion and emissions. The debate, however, is likely to continue as campaigners refuse to drop the issue.