Deutsche Bahn Opposes Italo in Germany as Bundesnetzagentur Weighs Market Opening
DB Infrago rejects Italo in Germany, opposing long-term track guarantees the operator seeks to underwrite a €3.6bn Siemens train package while the regulator reviews.
Italo in Germany faces a critical hurdle after DB Infrago, the Deutsche Bahn infrastructure arm, formally opposed the Italian operator’s request for multi-year track guarantees. The dispute, heard by the Bundesnetzagentur, centers on whether long-term access commitments are lawful and necessary to support Italo’s planned purchase of high-speed Velaro trains from Siemens. The regulator has signalled it sees insufficient competition on Germany’s high-speed corridors and is considering measures to open the market.
Regulator describes a near-monopoly on high-speed routes
The Bundesnetzagentur told stakeholders that the high-speed segment of Germany’s rail market lacks meaningful competition, citing data that indicate the incumbent controls the vast bulk of services. The regulator underlined its statutory role to promote market access and said interventions may be required to prevent a structurally closed market. That assessment has framed its active role as an arbiter between the incumbent and newcomers.
DB Infrago warns of capacity constraints and stability risks
DB Infrago argues that long-term guarantees for a single new entrant would amount to preferential treatment and run counter to EU and national railway regulation. The infrastructure operator says the network, particularly major nodes and high-speed lines, is heavily utilized and that awarding fixed long-term paths would intensify existing scarcity. It warns that giving structural priority to another operator could undermine timetable stability, reliability and service quality for passengers.
Italo outlines billions in investment tied to guarantees
Italo has proposed a package of purchases and long-term contracts it says require planning certainty to be viable. The company plans to buy 26 Velaro trains from Siemens for roughly €1.2 billion, with an option on 14 further units, and seeks a 30-year agreement covering maintenance, training and associated investments worth about €2.4 billion. Italo also promises up to €250 million in network fees and says its plan would add around 50 daily services linking some 18 cities, focusing on Munich–Cologne–Dortmund and Munich–Berlin–Hamburg corridors.
Disagreement over how long-term access should be handled
The crux of the debate is whether Germany should reintroduce long-running framework path contracts or continue with annual timetable allocations. DB Infrago stopped offering multi-year framework contracts in 2017 and has signalled a return only in a later timetable year, while consultations suggest most operators oppose reintroducing them before 2031/32. Italo insists that without multi-year certainty an operator cannot shoulder the investment risk involved in buying and operating high-speed trains at scale.
Station access and service-space allocation escalate tensions
Beyond track paths, access to platforms, lounges and ticketing facilities at major stations is a flashpoint in the dispute. Italo points to past experiences in Italy, where it argues incumbent operators limited its access to visible customer-facing spaces, as a cautionary example. The company says that effective market entry requires not only timetable paths but also fair treatment in the allocation of station service areas to ensure a level playing field for passenger sales and branding.
Potential measures and the timeline for a decision
The Bundesnetzagentur has floated measures including an “Eigenbelegungsregelung” that would cap the share of capacity a single operator may hold, but Italo has indicated such a rule alone would not guarantee viable market entry. The regulator set a deadline for parties to submit final comments and some industry observers expect a formal decision from the relevant decision chamber around mid-June. The outcome will determine whether Germany moves toward more open competition on its busiest intercity corridors or retains its current market structure.
The case pits a global private rail challenger against a national infrastructure operator and raises broader questions about how to balance investment incentives, fair access and operational reliability on constrained rail networks. The Bundesnetzagentur’s forthcoming ruling will be watched closely by operators, vehicle manufacturers and regional authorities because it will shape not only one company’s investment plan but also the future competitive landscape of high-speed rail in Germany.
