Development of the infrastructure

In 2025, € 23.7 billion was spent for the expansion, renewal and maintenance of the network, stations and energy facilities. Among other things, this includes:

• LuFV funds (grants, equity and own contributions) totaling € 11.1 billion, about € 5.1 billion for maintenance (own contributions and investment grants), € 3.3 billion for projects in the requirement plan, as well as
• funds for the existing network outside of the LuFV, such as the Municipal Transport Financing Act (Gemeindeverkehrsfinanzierungsgesetz; GVFG), Digital Rail for Germany (Digitale Schiene Deutschland; DSD) or the Climate Action Program (Klimaschutzprogramm; KSP), totaling about € 3.8 billion.

Key developments in the expansion and renewal of the rail network in 2025 included:

• Hamburg — Berlin corridor modernization: On August 1, 2025, DB InfraGO began the comprehensive renovation and modernization of the 278 km line between Hamburg and Berlin. Long-distance passenger and freight trains are rerouted during the closure. More than 170 buses are deployed to replace local transport train services that cannot be provided during the construction phase. With about 470 regional, long-distance and freight trains running daily, the line is considered to be a highly utilized network section. During the construction work, more than 180 km of track and over 200 switches, among other things, are to be replaced. Six additional track change facilities will ensure greater stability and flexibility in operations going forward. This allows, for example, faster passenger trains to overtake slower freight trains. In addition, DB InfraGO will modernize at least 20 of the 28 stations along the line. In addition, we are using the construction phase to install radio towers for the future rail radio FRMCS (Future Rail Mobile Communication System). The masts are also to be made available to public mobile network operators so that mobile Internet with gigabit data rates can be offered on trains in the long term.
• Nuremberg — Bamberg: DB InfraGO completed the four-track expansion of the line between Nuremberg and south of Bamberg in September 2025. This section is part of the Munich — Berlin high-speed line and, with an average of 350 trains per day, is one of the busiest lines in Bavaria. The Federal Government, the State of Bavaria, municipalities and DB Group invested about € 2 billion in expanding the tracks and facilities along the 52 km section.
• Regensburg — Schwandorf: DB InfraGO completed the modernization of the Regensburg — Schwandorf line in August 2025. A total of 47 km of track and 28 switches were renewed and seven railway crossings were modernized. In total, DB Group invested about € 127 million in the modernization of the Regensburg — Weiden line. This line will also serve as a detour line during the upcoming modernization of the Nuremberg — Regensburg and Obertraubling — Passau corridors in 2026.
• Right-hand Rhine line: DB InfraGO has awarded the final construction contracts for the corridor modernization of the more than 80 km section between North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. Already in summer 2025, DB InfraGO was able to award the construction contracts for the four additional construction sections in Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. In addition, preparatory work for the corridor modernization starting in July 2026 began.
• Emmerich — Oberhausen: By July 2025, DB Group completed half of the 80-week construction time. Since November 2024, work along the about 73 km line has included the construction of 14 km of new track, the installation of 7.5 km of new overhead wires, the commissioning of three new platforms, and the installation of about 5 km of new noise barriers. In addition, eight bridges were expanded or newly constructed in 2025 and four railway crossings were removed.
• Leipzig — Dresden: DB Group has completed the expansion of the Zeithain — Leckwitz section of the 117 km Leipzig — Dresden expansion line. This marks the achievement of another important milestone.
• Eifel line: Almost four years after the flood disaster, trains are running continuously between Gerolstein and Cologne again since June 16, 2025. DB Group, in collaboration with the states, municipalities and contracting organizations, has carried out extensive repairs on the heavily damaged Eifel line. The electrification of the line has also begun, with fully electrified train transports expected from 2028.
• Lübeck — Schwerin: With a groundbreaking ceremony on June 13, 2025, DB Group launched the expansion of the line between Lübeck and Bad Kleinen. By 2028, 63 km of the line will be modernized and electrified. The centerpiece is the new Gallentin curve, which will enable direct connections between Lübeck and Schwerin. In addition, two digital interlockings are being constructed and overtaking tracks are being extended to enable faster local transport and more efficient freight transport.
• New electronic interlocking left-hand Rhine: In May 2025, DB Group put the new electronic interlocking left-hand-Rhine into operation. Since then, regional and long-distance trains as well as freight trains between Cologne and Bonn have been controlled from the modern control center in Cologne’s city center. Over the past five years, work on the new interlocking has included laying 400 km of cable and installing 200 new signals.
• Saxony-Franconia main line: The section between Altenburg and Treben-Lehma officially opened on June 12, 2025. With the completion of the work, DB Group has reached another important milestone in the modernization of the Saxony-Franconia main line. DB Group has modernized this section with 6 km of new track, 14 km of new overhead wires, 42 new switches and nine new or modernized railway bridges, as well as 2.7 km of noise reduction walls, so that trains can travel at 160 km/h in the future.
• Second main line Munich: In June 2025, a key milestone for digital control and operational stability in the Munich rail network was reached with the commissioning of the electronic interlocking Munich East. The electronic interlocking controls about 150 signals, 60 switches and five switch heating facilities. Over 400 km of laid cable, about 240 speed sensors and 270 axle counters were installed for this purpose.
• Stuttgart 21: Work on the light eyes at the future through station has been completed. The first two lattice shells, which form the entrances to the station hall, have been completed. The installation of the escalators and elevators is well underway. In October 2025, the topping-out ceremony was held at the historic Bonatz building. In May 2025, the first high-speed test runs were conducted at speeds of up to 275 km/h between Fildern and Wendlingen. On December 15, 2025, DB Group informed the Stuttgart 21 project partners at a steering committee meeting that, due to new findings and assessments regarding the Stuttgart Digital Hub (Digitaler Knoten Stuttgart; DKS) pilot project, the project cannot be phased into operation starting in December 2026 as previously planned. The Management Board of DB Projekt Stuttgart — Ulm GmbH has been tasked with developing a new commissioning plan by mid-2026 at the latest and reaching a binding agreement on it with all project partners. The top priority is to ensure safe and reliable rail operations with dependable schedules from the very start. This also requires a sufficiently long testing phase.

The following requirement plan and GVFG projects were also under construction in 2025:

At the end of 2025, a total of 211 requirement plan and GVFG projects were in planning and construction (49 GVFG, 162 requirement plan). Further information about the projects is available online on the BauInfoPortal.

Small and medium-sized measures program

One of DB InfraGO’s priorities is the rapid expansion of capacity on the existing network. To this end, we are implementing a comprehensive portfolio of small and medium-sized measures until 2030. These measures improve the bottleneck situation and the network’s resilience to disruptions in the short term. They benefit all modes of transport (regional and long-distance passenger transport as well as freight transport) on the existing network and will be implemented primarily on the high-performance network. The projects include infrastructure measures such as additional track change options, signals or new platforms. By 2025, 33 projects had been completed, including the Saalfeld — Unterwellenborn track-switching operation, the construction of new platforms and electrification of the Stuttgart — Feuerbach line, and the Torfmoorsee and Rodde track change facilities between Ibbenbüren-Esch and Rheine.

Measures at stations

At the end of December 2025, over 3,000 projects were underway at about 950 stations across Germany. Some of our construction projects with nationwide significance include:

• Dortmund central station: Following the completion of all modernization measures, the station has full step-free access since the first quarter of 2025, ensuring barrier-free connections between the various means of transport.
• Duisburg central station: Work to renovate all platforms and construct the new station roof has been underway since mid-2022. In October 2025, the third and fourth of the total of six platforms, including the associated new hall roof, were reopened to traffic following new construction. According to current planning, the overall project will run until 2028.
• Hanover central station: Since the summer of 2022, all platforms, platform roofs and some bridge structures have been undergoing gradual renewal. Work on the first platform A was completed in mid-2025. Renewal work on the second platform B has been underway since mid-2024. Construction of the third platform C is scheduled to begin in 2029. Since construction work is concentrated around the summer vacation period for operational reasons and depends on parallel projects at the Hanover hub, the work is not expected to be completed until the mid-2030s.
• Berlin Ostbahnhof: The main construction work on the station hall roof – to renew the roof membrane, install new skylights and renew the corrosion protection on all roof girders, along with the dismantling of the large gantry crane – has been completed since mid-2025. Thereafter, some remaining work will continue until 2026. Thanks to the chosen construction method, traffic was able to continue almost uninterrupted during the work.
• Hamburg-Altona station: The terminal station for long-distance and regional transport is being relocated here. The current Diebsteich S-Bahn (metro) station shall be expanded to become a through station. A total of four platforms and a concourse building shall be constructed. Work has already begun. The new S-Bahn (metro) platform was put into operation at the beginning of 2025. The three long-distance and regional platforms are expected to be completed in 2027. In coordination with the City of Hamburg, a temporary structure is to be erected to support station operations, as construction of the concourse building will be delayed beyond 2029 due to the construction of the connection relief tunnel.
• Bitterfeld station: The old station building was dismantled due to its poor structural condition and extensive vacancies, and replaced with a new concourse building designed to meet current requirements. The new station was commissioned in July 2025. With its facade made of recycled aluminum, its green roof and district heating, the building is one of the most sustainable stations in Germany. Almost the entire roof area is used to generate renewable energy via the photovoltaic system. The new building is a joint project of DB Group, the City of Bitterfeld and NASA GmbH.

Development of barrier-free building

DB InfraGO aims to make rail travel accessible to everyone. To this end, a total of about 160 platforms were renovated, raised and made fully accessible in 2025. The substantial capital expenditures have led to significant progress: as of November 30, 2025, over 88 % of our platforms were already accessible without steps, benefiting more than 93 % of all passengers. In addition, 95 % of all passengers board and alight at platforms with a minimum height of 55 cm. This is particularly important for passengers with limited mobility, as well as those traveling with children or strollers. Priority is being given to making those stations fully accessible that are used by more than 1,000 passengers daily.

Since 2020, the installation of over 35,000 tactile handrail signs on stairs and ramps has tripled the share of platforms equipped with such signs to 79 % – a significant improvement for visually impaired passengers. Based on 11 criteria from the comprehensive accessibility rating system, the level of accessibility is systematically assessed and published for passengers on a per-platform basis.

Despite these significant improvements, the network still has over 2,500 platforms – most of them very old – with low platform heights (≤ 38 cm). To ensure accessible travel for everyone, it is necessary to raise all low platforms (≤ 38 cm) to the target height (as specified in the platform height concept) and equip them with accessible entrances. In addition, tactile guidance systems need to be installed on many platforms and their access routes to ensure barrier-free access for visually impaired and blind passengers everywhere.

Renewal of the Mobility Service

DB InfraGO’s mobility service assists passengers with limited mobility in planning their trips and while on the go – particularly when boarding, alighting and transferring, as well as with special services at over 700 stations across Germany. A key improvement in 2025 was the transfer of the Mobility Service Center form from DB Sales to DB InfraGO. Since June 2025, a visually redesigned, accessible website has also been available, enabling users to easily and intuitively book assistance services (such as help boarding with a wheelchair). In addition, digital solutions are being developed to streamline internal support processes and reduce the workload on service staff.