New Construction, Expansion, Reactivation, and Replacement of Rail Connections (Connection Funding Guideline)
Grant program for companies for the construction, reactivation, expansion, and replacement of rail connections and associated facilities in rail freight transport. Funding rate up to 80% of eligible costs. Applications accepted continuously until 31.12.2025 at the Federal Railway Authority (EBA).
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The federal government supports companies in investments for the construction, expansion, reactivation, and replacement of rail connections, multifunctional transshipment facilities, as well as feeder and industrial main tracks, in order to permanently shift freight transport to the environmentally friendly rail mode and to secure existing rail freight traffic.
Eligible expenses
- Capital expenditures for rail connections and connecting switches
- Capital expenditures for multifunctional transshipment facilities
- Investments in logistical infrastructure and storage areas
- Planning services (flat rate 10% or up to 17.5% of construction costs)
Non-eligible expenses
- Value-added tax eligible for input tax deduction
- Regular maintenance measures
Eligible to apply
- Companies
Funding requirements
- Companies in private legal form
- Rail connection in the economic ownership of the company
- Proof of a certain freight volume or rail freight transport performance
- Overall financing of the project must be secured
- No premature implementation of the project
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Documents required for application
- Connection Funding Guideline (Guideline Text)
- FAQ on the Connection Funding Guideline
- Application Form
- Traffic Volume Attachment
- Statement of Expenses and Operating Costs
- Declaration on Grant-Relevant Facts and Corruption Prevention
- Declaration for Industrial and Main Track
- Attachments to the Grant Notice (e.g., ANBest-P)
- Sample Proof of Use
Evaluation criteria
- Proof of economic viability and financing concept
- Fulfillment of the transport obligation (freight volume)
- Technical and legal admissibility of the project
Description
The grant program "Follow-up Funding Guideline for Rail Connections" of the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) is aimed at companies in the commercial sector with private legal status that operate rail connections under economic ownership. It supports investments in the construction, expansion, reactivation, and replacement of rail connections, multifunctional transshipment facilities, as well as feeder and industrial main tracks. With a funding rate of 50% for classic rail connections and up to 80% for multifunctional transshipment facilities, up to 80% of eligible costs are subsidized. In addition to railway technical facilities, expenditures for loading and unloading equipment, logistical infrastructure, storage areas, as well as flat rates for planning services (10%–17.5% of construction costs) are funded. Requirements include, among others, proof of certain freight volumes or rail freight transport services, secured overall financing, and the waiver of premature measures.
The measure aims to permanently shift freight traffic to the environmentally friendly rail mode and to secure existing rail freight traffic. Applications can be submitted continuously until December 31, 2025, to the Federal Railway Authority (EBA). For the application, among other documents, the guideline text, FAQ, application form, and attachments for traffic and cost verification must be submitted. Upon approval, payment is made as a non-repayable grant, taking into account economic efficiency and financing evidence as well as successful technical and legal review. Compliance with the transport obligation is monitored over a verification period of up to ten years, and partial repayments are triggered in case of non-fulfillment.