Regional rail services across Germany face widespread cuts as rising track fees and costs from a European Court of Justice ruling push operators to the brink. The court’s decision has imposed additional costs of around €400 million, forcing states to reconsider funding for thousands of connections, according to a report by *Welt* .
From 2027, track access fees for regional trains are set to increase by 8%, compounding financial strain on state budgets. Bavaria’s Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter, who chairs the conference of state transport ministers, warned that the hike would force cuts to services. “We must now absorb an 8% increase for the coming year. That is money no one has,” Bernreiter told *Bild* . Schleswig-Holstein has already canceled some routes, and other states may follow if the federal government does not cover the additional costs.
The states, which contract regional services, argue existing agreements were based on capped fee increases. “We signed contracts trusting in limited track price hikes. Now they are spiraling out of control,” Bernreiter said. Schleswig-Holstein’s Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen echoed the concern, stating that without federal support, deeper cuts would be unavoidable. Two years ago, reductions were limited to off-peak times, but the new financial pressure threatens broader service reductions .
