The Federal Ministry of Transport currently sees no prospects for a rapid expansion of the Ostbahn from Berlin toward Poland. “A prerequisite for upgrading the project to the ‘urgent need’ category—which is mandatory for federal funding—would be a positive macroeconomic assessment,” a ministry spokesperson told the German Press Agency. “However, there is no apparent need for the Ostbahn to handle international long-distance and freight traffic beyond the existing connections.”
The line (RB 26) is not electrified on the German side and is single-track in some sections. Currently, the Berlin-Küstrin-Kietz route is designated as a “potential need” in the Federal Transportation Infrastructure Plan. A new bridge over the Oder River went into service about two years ago. The Ostbahn could also gain importance as an alternative route because the Berlin-Frankfurt (Oder) line is scheduled for modernization in a few years, which could lead to significant traffic disruptions.
