Environmental measures

Noise-based train-path pricing system supports refitting of freight cars

The noise-based train-path pricing system (lärmabhängiges Trassenpreissystem; LaTPS) currently provides for a surcharge of 5.5% on the regular train-path price for loud freight trains. Freight trains consisting of at least 90% cars with quiet brake shoes are exempt from the surcharge. In the working timetable period 2016/2017, about € 17 million was generated, which was used entirely to finance bonus payments to TOCs that use freight cars fitted with quiet composite brake shoes no. 5. In the year under review, we received and approved a total of 36,646 applications for program year 2017 in the LaTPS (2016: 25,643 applications) to promote the noise remediation of existing freight cars. A total of about € 8 million was paid as a bonus to the TOCs on the basis of the applications submitted (2016: € 4.4 million). The LaTPS will be in place until the end of 2020. The program is income-neutral for its entire duration.