Merkel says Germany is investing 86 billion euros over the next ten years to maintain and modernize the rail network.

With the Master Plan for Rail Traffic, the course is set for a Germany-wide coordinated timetable, more goods on the rails, innovations and digitalisation, as well as improved noise and climate protection.

That does not end at national borders, together with the expansion of the trans-European networks, Germany wants to make rail attractive for everyone in Europe. Angela Merkel is Chancellor since 2005, and has announced that she will resign this year when the legislature expires.

For this year, Merkel says that there there needs to be invested in rail digitalisation and new innovations. The pandemic has made it clear that we need to put even more effort into digitalisation, says the Chancellor.

Large strategic projects such as battery cell production, hydrogen technology and the energy transition should also be promoted.

Without such innovations, it will not be possible to halt climate change and at the same time remain economically successful.