A decades-long plan for a new railway line between Mannheim and Frankfurt is facing significant jeopardy, despite the existence of a special fund allocated for infrastructure development. Tarek Al-Wazir, Chairman of the Transport Committee, warned of this risk in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, citing internal data from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.
Al-Wazir sharply criticized the current government and the newly appointed Federal Minister for Transport, stating that despite a substantial €500 billion special fund earmarked for infrastructure in the medium-term financial plan, new construction and expansion projects are currently unfunded. He has called for adjustments to the parliamentary process to address the situation.
According to information obtained from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, the project is nearing the completion of its planning phase. This could potentially trigger a new construction initiative after a period of stagnation, with the possibility of commencement as early as 2027. However, the current budgetary planning does not currently permit sufficient financing at that time. The Ministry’s data reveals a projected funding shortfall of approximately €300 million in 2027, escalating to a deficit of €1.5 billion just two years later. This data was presented in response to inquiries from Green Party transport policy expert Matthias Gastel.
The projected benefits of the new railway line are widely acknowledged. Current traffic forecasts indicate a potential operating capacity of 127% on the Riedbahn line by 2040, suggesting a significant overload of the existing infrastructure. This would inevitably exacerbate delays and unpunctuality. According to the Ministry, the Mannheim-Frankfurt new construction project is critical for Germany’s transport network and without the dedicated ICE (Intercity-Express) route, even recently upgraded lines like the Riedbahn are unlikely to experience a noticeable improvement in punctuality.