Germany puts €1.7bn into digital tech upgrade for railways

Germany's Federal Transport Ministry is making around €1.7 billion ($1.93 billion) available until the end of 2030 to equip trains with digital technology for the European Train Control System (ETCS).

The ministry said it would also provide around €482 million to equip vehicles for the Digital Node Stuttgart (DKS) project.

The ETCS is the central technology for digitalizing rail infrastructure in Germany. It allows train intervals to be managed digitally, creating greater capacity on individual lines. Optical signal systems would then no longer be necessary.

However, for the infrastructure to communicate digitally with trains, the rolling stock itself must also be fitted with the corresponding technology. This step is currently regarded as a major obstacle to the digitalization process.

The Federal Transport Ministry said its new funding guidelines were intended to address this problem. 

The guidelines provide for "funding rates of up to 60% for series installations and up to 90% for vehicle type variants being equipped for the first time as part of a First-of-Class (FoC) installation," the ministry said. 

Funding applications can be submitted promptly to the Federal Office for Administrative Services, it added.