On Thursday evening (21 May 2026), the German Bundestag approved the Augsburg–Ulm rail project. The decision was based on a recommendation by the Transport Committee from the previous day. The Greens abstained from the vote.
The decision enables DB InfraGO to continue planning up to the initiation of the planning approval procedure.
Closing a key gap in the European corridor
The project is an essential building block for strengthening the European rail axis Paris – Strasbourg – Karlsruhe – Stuttgart – Ulm – Augsburg – Munich – Salzburg – Vienna – Bratislava/Budapest, which forms the guiding framework of the “Main Line for Europe” (Main Line for Europe e.V.) initiative.
The planned new line largely follows the alignment recommended in the spatial planning procedure along the A8 motorway and broadly corresponds to the position of regional industry and business stakeholders. A regional station in Zusmarshausen, located in a valley setting, is also planned. Günzburg station will remain connected to the long-distance network via a branching point near Burgau.
Further regional demands were not included in the procedure, as expert assessments indicated that they would jeopardise the economic viability of the long-distance rail project. This concerns in particular additional capacity upgrades in the Augsburg and Ulm rail hubs, as well as the connection of the Augsburg freight logistics centre. The Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt) recommends that these aspects, if necessary, be addressed in a separate project. The additional costs of the regional station in Zusmarshausen will be borne by the Free State of Bavaria.
Financing still unresolved
The financing of the overall project remains unresolved, both for the planning phase and for the subsequent construction phase starting around 2030. According to information from the Federal Ministry of Transport, a decision on this issue is expected by November at the latest. At present, it is assumed that only limited funding is available in the 2026 federal budget for new construction and expansion rail projects, as the infrastructure special fund is primarily allocated to renovation measures.
With total costs of approximately €8.15 billion, the project remains one of the largest infrastructure investments in the Bavarian Swabia region.
Significance for the Main Line for Europe
Within the framework of the “Main Line for Europe”, the project is of particular importance as it closes a key gap in the high-speed and long-distance rail corridor between southern Germany and the European core network. It thus strengthens both east–west and north–south transport flows and improves connectivity between economic regions in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, France, Austria, and Southeastern Europe.