Markets and strategy

The demand for train-paths fell in 2024. The main reasons for this are the effects from the GDL strikes and the Radha storm, as well as sales developments in regional rail passenger transport and rail freight transport. In the coming years, a recovery and thus growth are expected across all kinds of traffic. General modernizations in the high-performance network will lead to a short-term capacity shortage, but should nevertheless support growth in the long term.

By developing infrastructure in line with customer and market requirements, we want to enable the entire rail transport sector to take advantage of growth potential. With this aim in mind, the strategic priorities of DB InfraGO have been incorporated in the Strong Rail strategy.

• The Track business area is to create the infrastructural and operational conditions for realizing the Strong Rail strategy as a capacity manager. The objective is to operate a highly condensed, highly interconnected and high-performing network that will be ensured through systematic modernization, targeted upgrading and the prospective expansion of network capacity. This is also to be supported by the targeted implementation of Digital Rail for Germany (DSD), the improvement of the organization’s performance capability and improved use and availability of existing capacities.
• The Passenger Stations business area plays a central role in shifting transport to climate-friendly rail transport. A common good-oriented infrastructure needs future-proof stations. To achieve the growth targets for the mobility transition and realize Germany in sync, future stations must be developed holistically, so that they are customer-oriented, powerful and sustainable.

Through the renewal, digitalization and expansion of the infrastructure in line with requirements, we aim to increase network capacity in corridors and hubs to eliminate existing bottlenecks and provide the necessary capacity for service expansions. This aims to counteract the overloading and aging of the infrastructure, and should enable greater reliability and growth on the rails. The central element of the strategy is the development of a high-performance network which aims to improve the customer experience and ability to plan the capital expenditure measures, as well as boosting the reliability and performance of the infrastructure. The stated goal is to transform the highly utilized network into a high-performance network by 2030 through a general modernization of the most important rail corridors and thus make it a bedrock of stability for the rail system. Several elements are crucial here. For example, the construction work is to be combined to keep a line almost completely free of construction for many years after a single closure. To minimize the capacity restrictions, highly condensed and efficient construction procedures are to be implemented. To ensure that the lines remain reliable after the modernization, we want to rely on prevention. The aim is to detect and eliminate disruptions even before they occur or cause a disturbance to operations. In addition, the overall performance capability of the high-performance network is to be ensured by improving the reliability and capacity at the hubs. As part of the modernization work, preliminary work for the implementation of Digital Rail for Germany is to be performed where possible and the lines are to be prepared for electronic/digital interlockings and Digital Rail for Germany. In addition to upgrading the particularly highly utilized lines, maintaining the entire infrastructure is the basis for high-performance capability of rail transport. Accordingly, the other parts of the network next to the high-performance network must also remain or become capable of being operated efficiently as a basis. We also want to expand our infrastructure in a targeted manner through new construction and expansion as well as through line electrification, thus creating the necessary capacities for the implementation of Germany in sync. In the Passenger Stations business area, we want to continually improve the perceptible quality at our stations and their surroundings with uniform product and production standards. We aim to implement customer-oriented standards holistically in all areas for the stations of the future – at all times in partnership with the Federal states, cities and municipalities. Standardizing and increasing digitalization are intended to streamline processes, optimize maintenance measures and switch to demand- and condition-based production concepts. We want to invest in new construction proj­ects and develop viable capacity concepts to ensure a robust, customer-oriented and secure infrastructure for the desired shift in the mode of transport and the increase in passenger numbers. We publish the annual InfraGO condition report, which shows the condition of the majority of our station infra­structure using a grading system.

Key levers in the area of infrastructure on the path to climate neutrality include the further electrification of lines – also by way of innovative approaches such as overhead wire islands and the reorganization of our own production processes – as well as the reduction of emissions from the construction and operation of infrastructure. We focus on sustainable vegetation management No. 116, environmental protection measures, resource conservation through initiatives to promote circular economy approaches and on noise reduction. In addition, measures are being implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for example in building management. In the Passenger Stations business area, we intend to reduce our absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 81% by 2025 compared to 2019. We aim to achieve this by using 100% eco-power No. 147 and by making our heat consumption greener No. 97. We are also consistently reducing our energy consumption through energy efficiency measures such as LED exchange No. 50. We are also focusing on new concepts for onward mobility connections, these range from the expansion of the Bike+Ride cycle parking spaces No. 156 to digital services such as the DB Rad+ app. In 2024, in conjunc­­tion with the municipalities, new cycle parking spaces were put into operation at 56 stations. In addition, we are test­­ing a sustainable building approach No. 6 with the “Little green station”. Following the pilot site in Zorneding, the second of its kind was built in Haar in July 2024 using modular timber construction.

DB InfraGO targets by 2030

• DB InfraGO aims to build in sync, optimize capacity and ensure efficient operations by reducing infrastructure-related delays and restricted speed sections as well as increasing the interlocking occupancy rate.
• 4,000 highly utilized track kilometers are to be modernized from the ground up – bundled into 40 high-performance corridors.
• We want to gradually modernize about 24,000 track kilometers of other parts of the network next to the high performance network.
• DB InfraGO aims to develop stations holistically into powerful, customer-oriented and sustainable stations of the future.
• DB InfraGO wants to quickly expand capacity and improve performance capability in the existing network with additional track change facilities, more overtaking opportunities for trains and additional signals to reduce the fixed-block distance between trains.
• By 2030, DB InfraGO intends to digitalize many other lines and thus create more capacity on the existing infra­structure.
• DB InfraGO wants to build urgently needed service facilities for the preparation and post-processing of train runs, in particular sidings, and also expand existing facilities.
• DB InfraGO intends to create new capacities by expanding, constructing and electrifying lines in order to gradually implement Germany in sync.