GERMANY EXTENDS TRACK ACCESS CHARGE SUBSIDIES UNTIL 2028
The German transport ministry will extend track access charge (TAC) subsidies until 2028. TACs in Germany are set to increase by 16.2 percent later this year and into 2025. However, the size of future subsidies remains unclear.
The ministry stated it has "created the legal basis" for the extension of TAC subsidies until late 2028 and secured 229 million euros in rail freight subsidies for 2024. The exact subsidy amounts for 2025 onwards are still under budget negotiations. TACs will rise by 16.2 percent in late 2024 and into 2025, with potential increases of up to 50 percent by 2026, according to the German rail freight association Die Güterbahnen.
Michael Theurer, the German parliamentary state secretary for transport, noted that the federal government is closely monitoring the development of track access charges and their impact on rail freight transport. Despite limited financial resources, the government aims to provide adequate TAC funding, allocating around 229 million euros for 2024.