Werra Valley Railway reactivation failed: Thuringia falls by the wayside!

Werra Valley Railway reactivation failed: Thuringia falls by the wayside!

The reactivation of the Werra Valley Railway between southern Thuringia and Franconia has become a long way off. According to a recent report by MDR The project cannot currently be implemented due to high costs and unclear framework conditions. The estimates for reactivation are between 66 and 150 million euros - an amount that the Thuringian Ministry of Transport does not consider to be sustainable under the current circumstances.

What is particularly worrying is the fact that part of the route between Eisfeld and Coburg is in Bavarian territory and has already been built over there. This makes negotiations about a possible reactivation even more complicated. The political will to revive the route exists, but practical steps appear to be missing. Discussions will take place with the affected districts and the South Thuringia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) over the course of the year in order to evaluate the potential of the route.

Political reactions and criticisms

The Pro Bahn passenger association is disappointed by the cancellation and describes it as a “new low point in Thuringia’s rail policy”. Transport Minister Steffen Schütz is facing accusations from critics who denounce “despondent politics”. The IHK Südthüringen and its general manager Ralf Pieterwas are calling for a clear message about the project and criticizing the state government's lack of commitment.

The situation in Thuringia is particularly worrying, as it requires the immediate initiation of a spatial planning procedure for closing the Werra railway gap, which enables the selection of a preferred variant for reactivation. Meanwhile, the Thuringian Ministry of Transport has announced that it will present a report on environmental compatibility in mid-July.

Previous developments and future prospects

As part of the first tranche of 20 route reactivations presented by Deutsche Bahn and the railway associations VDV and Allianz pro Schiene, the Werrabahn and the closure of the gap to the Höllentalbahn are also listed. Pro Bahn Thuringia welcomes the start of both projects, but the path to actual implementation remains rocky.

There is now a possibility on the horizon, as the federal government has been funding route reactivations with up to 90% through the GVFG federal program since spring 2020. The annual budget for this program has even tripled to one billion euros - an opportunity that should not be missed. Closing the gap between Thuringia and Franconia has been overdue for over 30 years and finally requires decisive political action.

So we can only hope that the discussions between the actors involved lead to a positive result and that the construction of the Werra Valley Railway does not disappear into the drawer of endless projects. Rapid progress could not only improve local transportation, but also boost regional tourism and the economy throughout the region.