PdF on transport

The PdF wants a comprehensive modernization of the rail network, with 75 percent electrified by 2030. Dilapidated lines are to be repaired first and closed lines, especially in rural areas, put back into service. The party cites outdated equipment, overload, and frequent delays as reasons.

The PdF wants to renew the rail network. By 2030, 75 percent of the lines should have electric power. Broken lines should be fixed first. Old lines in the countryside should open again. This should make trains more punctual and cleaner.

According to the platform, 61 percent of the network is electrified today, and a large share of switches, signal boxes, and level crossings is in poor condition. Repairs are to be prioritized based on transparent condition reports. Reactivated lines are meant to connect rural areas better and relieve urban centers. Construction sites are to be coordinated centrally. The party puts the repair backlog at about 89 billion euros; in its view, the 86 billion euros planned through 2029 cover only basic needs.

The PdF wants to pay for expanding, digitizing and maintaining the rail network through an earmarked special fund. It also wants to subsidize rail freight and simplify fares for passengers.

The PdF wants to spend a lot of money on trains. A special pot of money will pay for this. Rail technology should become more modern. More goods should travel by train. Tickets should become simpler.

Alongside the special fund, public-private partnerships would help finance large construction projects. The program plans a central digital system to manage train traffic in real time, the European Train Control System (ETCS) on suitable lines, the replacement of mechanical signal boxes with electronic and later digital ones, and a rail radio network without gaps. Rail freight would be subsidized so that less cargo moves by road. For passengers, the program calls for simpler fare zones and a nationwide app that bills by kilometers traveled. New trains should match platform height for step-free boarding, and Deutsche Bahn's corporate structure would be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The PdF calls for investment in expanding and maintaining roads, bridges and rail lines, arguing that their poor condition causes congestion and high logistics costs. In rural areas, it wants to subsidize on-demand taxi services instead of blanket transit funding.

The PdF wants to repair and expand roads, bridges and rail lines. Rural areas should get more ways to travel. The party wants to help pay for taxis on request there. It also wants more bike paths and charging stations.

More freight is to move by rail, and the program wants to support low-emission buses in local transit. For rural areas, the PdF favors subsidized on-demand taxis, which it considers more flexible and cheaper than blanket spending on public transit. Digital timetables, flexible ride services and integrated tickets would round out the offer. The plan also includes more bike paths and charging points for electric cars. Subway systems would get entry gates like those in London and Paris, which the program says would reduce fare evasion and raise revenue.