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What the railroad says about the Dresden-Görlitz electrification plans

In the federal government's recently published draft budget for 2025, the traffic light wants to promote rail projects, among other things. Whether projects in Upper Lusatia are included is questionable. That is the current state of affairs.

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Görlitz station: there is still no sign of electrification here. © Paul Glaser/glaserfotografie.de

By Matthias Klaus

The traffic light has just presented the main features of the federal budget for 2025. It includes 100 billion euros for "climate-friendly technologies", including for the railways. This was announced by Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) on Friday. However, it is questionable whether the climate-friendly electrification of the Dresden-Görlitz railroad line will also benefit from this.

Even Deutsche Bahn is apparently rather skeptical, although obviously still a little optimistic, as to whether the project will work in its entirety. This is the result of an inquiry from the SZ to the company.

Federal government currently sees no need

The project is included in the federal government's transport infrastructure plan as an "electrification project". "However, the project is not subject to the so-called urgent need and is therefore not financed by the federal government," said a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson. The federal government's requirements plan will be reviewed again next year. Then the "economic assessment" of the electrification of the Dresden-Görlitz line could - but probably does not have to - be examined again.

Deutsche Bahn does not expect the results of the review of the current requirements plan before the end of next year.

After all, the Free State of Saxony had already financed and completed preliminary planning for the entire Dresden-Görlitz project. In addition, according to the railroad company, there has been an increase in traffic on the line in recent years. These two factors could have a positive effect on the federal government's assessment, according to the railroad company.

The federal government is currently preparing the traffic forecast up to 2040, which also takes into account projects that could be realized with the "coal money", i.e. the subsidies for structural change.

Part of the route to be electrified

Deutsche Bahn is currently planning to electrify part of the Dresden-Görlitz line on behalf of Saxony: from Dresden-Klotzsche to Bischofswerda. Further lines are to follow, for example Arnsdorf-Kamenz-Hosena. This is being financed from coal funds.

In turn, the electrification of a line at Görlitz station is planned with funds from the Free State - at least in part. This will allow electrically powered trains from Poland to enter "parts" of the station, according to a railroad spokeswoman. "The trains will run on direct current, which will be transported to Görlitz from the Polish overhead line network," she said. The so-called planning approval procedure is currently underway for this sub-project. This is nothing other than an approval procedure, which is necessary for all major infrastructure projects. Among other things, it takes into account the interests of nature conservation, the affected municipality and the citizens.

Planning for Cottbus-Görlitz expansion

The plans for the electrification of the Cottbus-Weißwasser-Görlitz line are somewhat different. Deutsche Bahn is coordinating with Saxony and Brandenburg. "As soon as a financing agreement has been signed, DB can put the actual planning services out to tender," said the Deutsche Bahn spokesperson. Deutsche Bahn has already made the necessary preparations. This has been done in recent months. The financial resources for the project are to come from the structural change fund.

In the neighboring federal state of Brandenburg, a joint working group of the state government and Deutsche Bahn is working on rail expansion, including the Cottbus to Görlitz line. Just a few days ago, they drew a positive conclusion to their cooperation. Minister President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) spoke out in favor of continuing this: "We must not let up now. There is still a lot to do."

The core of the Cottbus-Görlitz project is the double-track expansion and electrification of the line between Cottbus main station and Görlitz station - with a connection to the Polish railroad's overhead line system on the Neisse bridge between Zgorzelec and Görlitz. "The aim is for trains to be able to travel there electrically at a speed of 160 kilometers per hour," says the railroad spokesperson. The initial design and approval planning for the first construction phase for Görlitz station is currently underway.

Görlitz station to get partial overhead lines

A Spiegel report had previously caused a stir about the rail projects, particularly in eastern Germany. It stated that Deutsche Bahn wanted to shut down long-distance routes. Deutsche Bahn immediately denied these savings plans, at least in part.

The passenger association Pro Bahn is nevertheless critical. If DB wants to cut existing routes, it is unlikely to create any new connections, it said in response to a question from the SZ, particularly with regard to the Dresden-Görlitz electrification plans. Sources of funding are available for this, regardless of economic viability.

The Dresden-Görlitz and Cottbus-Görlitz lines would be of supra-regional importance. Due to the electrification gap in Upper Lusatia, this would currently have to be bypassed over a wide area. According to Pro Bahn, the European partners would rightly dislike this.

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