New expert opinion to bring clarity to rail expansion

In the struggle to expand the Leipzig-Chemnitz railroad line, a new expert opinion should provide more clarity on the northern section. A feasibility study is currently being carried out for this purpose, as the Ministry of Infrastructure confirmed to Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Deutsche Bahn has commissioned an external office for this purpose, it said. No details of the specific content of the commission were made public.

The railroad line between Leipzig and Chemnitz is not only important for many commuters, but also as a link between the industrial region of south-west Saxony and the long-distance rail network. It is also used by freight traffic. However, one of the two tracks was dismantled as a reparation after the Second World War. There is also no overhead line.

For years, there have therefore been discussions about a double-track extension including electrification. This should enable trains to run every 30 minutes between the two major cities, as well as long-distance trains to Chemnitz.

However, the expansion is still years away. According to the latest statements from the Ministry of Infrastructure, work on the southern section from Geithain to Chemnitz is scheduled to begin in 2032 and last until 2035. It will be financed by federal and state funds.

Costs for northern section higher than previous budget

In contrast, the timetable for the northern section to Leipzig is completely unclear, as the exact plans are still pending. The Geithain-Leipzig section is to be financed from funds for structural change in coal regions. Almost 500 million euros have been earmarked for this project.

However, it is already clear that there will not be enough money for a second track and the electrification of the entire section. In an update of the previous estimate, Deutsche Bahn put the costs at around 750 million euros as early as 2024, the Ministry of Infrastructure replied in February to a minor question from Katja Meier (Green Party), member of the state parliament.

According to reports, the new findings of the feasibility study on the northern section will be available in May and will then initially be evaluated internally. They are to be presented to the public at a rail summit in Chemnitz in June.