Business · Companies · 8 hrs ago
German audit office finds major flaws in rail corridor upgrades
Germany’s Federal Audit Office says major rail upgrades have serious flaws in how they are planned and assessed.
The upgrades are run by DB InfraGO, a division of state-owned Deutsche Bahn, on some of the country’s busiest rail routes.
The plan is to close each route for months, carry out major repairs and then reduce disruption for years.
The audit office says the cost-benefit assessments are unreliable and that DB InfraGO has largely failed to meet its commitments.
Costs have risen substantially on some completed projects, and the promised periods with little construction work have been shortened and not fully achieved.
The office says the Transport Ministry must prove each project is worthwhile and fix weaknesses in oversight and evaluation.
After problems with early projects, the government and railway have already cut the number of routes planned for renovation over the next five years, and will restore train services gradually after works finish.
Germany’s Federal Audit Office says the first rail corridor upgrades have serious shortcomings and calls for corrective action.
It says the projects’ economic assessments are flawed and unreliable, and that the investments lack a sound basis for decisions.
The office says costs have risen substantially on some completed projects and that promised periods without major construction restrictions have not been met.
The Transport Ministry’s response did not dispel the concerns and confirmed existing weaknesses in economic assessments and performance checks, according to the report.
The government and Deutsche Bahn recently said fewer routes would be upgraded over the next five years than previously planned.
- Who
- Germany’s Federal Audit Office and Deutsche Bahn, including its infrastructure division DB InfraGO.
- What
- The audit office found serious shortcomings in rail corridor upgrades and called for corrective action and better proof of value for money.
- When
- The report was published on October 26, 2026.
- Where
- Germany.
- Why
- The audit office says economic assessments are unreliable, costs have risen on some projects, and promised periods without major construction restrictions have not been delivered.
Federal Audit Office
Deutsche Bahn
Project assessments
Federal Audit Office
The office says existing economic assessments are flawed and unreliable.
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn points to some upgrades that cost less than planned, including the Nürnberg–Regensburg and Hagen–Wuppertal–Köln routes.
Construction-free periods
Federal Audit Office
The office says the promised periods without major construction restrictions have been shortened and are not being met.
Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn says it still aims to keep upgraded routes largely free of major construction restrictions for up to 10 years.
Deutsche Bahn and the federal government announced that fewer routes would be upgraded over the next five years than previously planned.
Reports on the Federal Audit Office’s findings said it called for corrective action and better evidence of the upgrades’ economic value.
- Report date
- October 26, 2026
- Rail company division
- DB InfraGO
- Planned upgrades
- Fewer routes over the next five years than previously planned
- Routes cited as cheaper than planned
- Nürnberg–Regensburg; Hagen–Wuppertal–Köln
- Promised construction-free period
- Up to 10 years, according to Deutsche Bahn
2 sources
What people are saying
The first corridor upgrades show serious failures.
There is no sound basis for decisions on the billion-euro investments in corridor upgrades.
Modernise the route thoroughly once, then keep it largely free of major construction-related restrictions for up to 10 years.
The railway has completely used up the trust it received for the corridor upgrades.