National Rail Freight Strategies
In the context of the climate change discussion, rail freight is getting more importance and political attention as a sustainable mode of transport. But, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, railway undertakings face new financial and operational challenges.
To encourage further growth and modal shift to rail and to support railway undertakings in the pandemic situation, all national Ministries of Transport (MoT) along the RFC Rhine-Alpine have published national rail strategies and started support programmes.
In order to create transparency about the different support measures available, the RFC core team created this overview based on information provided by the MoT representatives in our Executive Board. We list brief information on the programmes and strategies. For a further in-depth view on the regulations please use the links to the national MoT information provided.
If you have questions/comments on this overview or think that information is missing, please contact us via info@corridor-rhine-alpine.eu
The cooperation agreement between the Regulatory Bodies of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Italy can be found here.
Strategies:
Masterplan rail freight traffic
Measures:
Measure Package rail freight traffic
Measures for a safe rail freight traffic
Parliamentary letters:
Progress in rail freight transport
Integral mobility analysis 2021
All information is available in Dutch language only.
Strategies:
As part of the National Energy and Climate Plan
Measures:
Federal financial support for retrofitting freight wagons
All documents are available in Dutch, French or English.
Strategies:
Climate Package of the Federal Government
Including 11 billion € to strengthen rail infrastructure in the years 2020-2030.
Masterplan rail freight traffic
Including 66 measures and 5 immediate measures, details are listed in the section below.
Selection of measures from the masterplan:
Reduction of track access charges
Especially for rail freight traffic. The volume of the measure is 350 million € p.a. with a funding rate of 47%.
Federal Program for the future of rail freight traffic
A funding scheme for the testing and launch of innovative technologies with 30 million € p.a. until 2024. Half of the investment costs have to be paid by the sector.
Financial support for rail freight plant prices
Especially for the support of single-wagon loads. The funding volume is 40 million € p.a. until 2025.
Support program for the building, extension and reactivation of private rail sidings. Up to 50% of the costs can be funded. The financial volume is 34 million € p.a. until the end of 2023 and 49 million € p.a. for the years 2024 and 2025.
All documents are available in German language only.
Strategies:
Overview in German.
Concept for rail freight traffic
Download as PDF document.
Information on Swiss transport policy
Overview in English
Fact Sheet in English:
Swiss transport policy from A to Z
Measures:
Usable for unattended combined traffic (UKV) and attended combined traffic (RoLa)
Subsidies for technical improvements in rail freight traffic
This is only a concept. Please find the correlating letter of intent as a PDF document here.
Investment contribution for private rail freight facilities
Aside from the fact sheet and the Information on Swiss transport policy, the information given is available in German, French and Italian.
Strategies:
The Strategic document of passengers and freight railway mobility (Documento Strategico della Mobilità Ferroviaria di passeggeri e merci (DSMF)) it covers the period 2022-2026.
Find the complete document here.
Measures:
The law no. 77 of 17 July 2020, the so-called "Rilancio Decree" provides urgent measures in the field of health, support for work and the economy, as well as social policies, related to the epidemiological emergency from COVID-19. Relevant for the railway sector:
- Article 214(3) "extraordinary contributions for railroad undertakings", which provides that "the amount of 70 million euros for 2020 and 80 million euros per year from 2021 to 2034 (a total of 1 billion and 190 million euros) has been approved to support rail freight undertakings".
Find the complete law here.
Disclaimer
Limitation of liability for internal content
The content of this document has been compiled with thorough care and to the best of our knowledge based on the input given by the Members of the RFC Rhine-Alpine Exucutive Board. However, we cannot assume any liability for the information being up-to-date, complete or accurate for any of the pages.
Limitation of liability for external links
This document contains links to the websites of third parties (“external links”). As the content of these websites is not under our control, we cannot assume any liability for such external content. In all cases, the provider of information of the linked websites is liable for the content and accuracy of the information provided. At the point in time when the links were placed, no infringements of the law were recognisable to us. As soon as an infringement of the law becomes known to us, we will immediately remove the concerning link.
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