Vegetation control on the tracks

For us, both safe rail operations and environmental protection are of outstanding importance. Vegetation control on the tracks has a significant impact on both aspects. In terms of environmental protection, the glyphosate phase-out in Germany is of particular importance to us. At the same time, efficient vegetation control must also be ensured for safety reasons. Since 2023, we have completely stopped using glyphosate in Germany. Instead, we rely on a holistic sustainable vegetation management No. 116, which provides for a coordinated interplay of different measures. To share our experience in this area,we are also exchanging ideas with other European railways (DACH countries exchange, cooperation in the UIC). In recent years, alternative, environmentally friendly methods and application strategies in the field of mechanical vegetation management have been further developed and tested. However, such procedures are currently not yet available for regular operations, or only to a limited extent. For this reason, in order to ensure safe rail operations, we must also make use of approved alternative herbicides. In principle, the chemical vegetation control only uses active substances that have been specifically approved for track areas by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety.

We work closely with industry and science to promote innovative solutions for sustainable vegetation management on the track. Vegetation is also continually monitored in order to enable active management of vegetation tolerances. Current vegetation control measures include the digital and efficient planning of vegetation control and the use of new mechanical-manual methods (e.g. technologically advanced mowing equipment) as well as the continued use of plant protection products (e.g. pelargonic acid). The quantity of herbicides applied in 2024 was 19.4 t (previous year: 21.4 t). With a track length of about 61,000 km, about 15% (previous year: about 14%) of the tracks were treated. This is equivalent to about 2.09 kg of herbicide per kilometer of track treated.