GERMANY: Bayern’s Ministry of Housing, Building & Transport has commissioned rail infrastructure manager DB InfraGO to produce plans for the elimination of diesel train operations in the north of the Land.
‘The future of rail in Bayern is electric’, Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter said on January 8. ‘In northern Bayern, we want to end diesel operations by 2040 and convert all lines either to electric operation or to battery-powered trains. This will require the electrification of 74 km of railway and the construction of two charging stations. The Land is providing upfront funding and investing €60m in the planning.’
A report published in 2024 identified the infrastructure upgrades required to enable battery-powered trains to operate on 20 routes, including partial electrification and the construction of charging facilities at stations.
Overhead electrification is planned for:
- Oberkotzau – Rehau (8·2 km) section of the Oberkotzau – Cheb route;
- Kirchenlaibach – Bayreuth (18·8 km) section of the Weiden – Bayreuth route;
- Bayreuth – Trebgast (15·7 km) section of the Bayreuth – Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg route;
- Hochstadt-Marktzeuln – Mainroth (11·5 km) section of the Bamberg – Hof route;
- Oberkotzau – Münchberg (18·6 km) section of the Bamberg – Hof route.
Charging stations are planned for Bad Steben and Neustadt an der Waldnaab. In addition, tracks in Nürnberg, Forchheim and Wicklesgreuth would be electrified to increase battery-charging opportunities. The Land is seeking federal funding for these upgrades under the Municipal Transport Financing Act.
Northern Bayern will also benefit from electrification projects planned at a federal level, including electrification of the Hof – Regensburg eastern corridor, Nürnberg – Schirnding and Nürnberg – Amberg – Furth im Wald.
In 2024 Bayern commissioned planning work for electrification of the Schnabelwaid – Bayreuth line. The section from Hof via Oberkotzau to Marktredwitz is to be electrified as part of the eastern corridor in stages in 2033-36. Electrification to Rehau and Münchberg is to follow.
The ministry expects new battery-powered tilting trains to be deployed on eight RE routes and eight RB routes from the mid-2030s. A further four RB routes which require particularly extensive infrastructure upgrades are also scheduled to be converted to battery operation by 2040.
Heiko Büttner, DB Group representative for Bayern, said ‘we can only achieve our climate goals if we transport freight and people in an environmentally friendly way. That is exactly what the switch to electric or battery powered trains promises.’
