Freight trains that transport coal or oil should have priority over ICEs in the future. For travelers, this could become another endurance test.
Passengers feel every day that things are not going well at Deutsche Bahn. In July, more than every third train in the group’s long-distance transport was unpunctual. Many trains were canceled altogether. It has been clear since Wednesday that there may be new restrictions on passenger transport. This time, however, the ailing network is not to blame. A federal government law as a result of the Ukraine war could slow down ICEs.
On Wednesday, the federal cabinet decided to give coal and oil trains priority over other freight transport and passenger transport. The Federal Government passed a corresponding ordinance with which the supply of power plants or regions with scarce petrol and diesel stocks should be accelerated. Without the ordinance, the railways would not be able to process these transports more quickly due to ongoing contracts.
Germany’s rail customers could soon feel the decision. They could be “affected by the failure of rail passenger services,” according to the regulation. Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) spoke of a demanding task because due to low water inland vessels could also transport less.
Only military transports should still have priority over coal trains
You have to try to get important trains to their destination faster: “It’s not an easy decision because in case of doubt it means that other trains have to wait in these cases.” However, it is not to be expected that long-distance trains would be delayed on a large scale, according to railway circles. There could be minor disruptions.
Only military transports should still have priority over coal trains. Germany supplies armaments to support Ukraine and is also a transit country for such. Because of their weight, military goods are predominantly transported by rail.
The ordinance applies primarily to busy rail corridors such as the Rhine Valley and is limited to six months in order to enable rapid transport of raw materials, especially in winter, and to prevent power shortages.