The current situation and trends in regional railways in Germany are reviewed, and some policy recommendations are made for cities in Central and Eastern Europe seeking regional transport solutions. Although public transport is considered important in Germany, its share in overall transport has been decreasing. As a result, many changes are being introduced into the German public transport services, especially in their planning, organisation, financing and improvement. Regional railway transport plays an important part in these changes, and there are now several initiatives to increase rail's share of transport in regions and cities. The number of regional rail passengers has been rising during recent years. The conditions under which regional railways operate in Germany are evolving. The `regionalisation' framework for this development includes: (1) structural and organisation changes, begun in 1994; (2) privatisation of the former state railway DB; and (3) continued state ownership of the railway infrastructure, which can be used by other public railway companies. Key initiatives by the railway operators include development of new products, vehicles and technologies; improvements to networks and lines; development of integrated timetables and services; and mutual cooperation on fares. For the covering abstract, see IRRD 893662.
Abstract