Germany's Federal Network Agency has finalized rules to force competition on crowded rail corridors, capping any single operator's share of capacity on busy routes at 60 to 75 percent when the 2028 timetable is drawn up next year.
The decision paves the way for Italian high-speed operator Italo to enter the German market from spring 2028, with planned services linking Munich to Berlin and Munich to Dortmund via Cologne. Italo has committed roughly 3.6 billion euros and 30 new high-speed trains to the expansion. The Monopolkommission, Germany's independent competition advisory body, backed the agency's push for greater rivalry in long-distance rail.
Agency chief Klaus Müller said the move could reshape Germany's long-distance rail market. Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder cautioned that competition must not come at the expense of regional connectivity, while DB InfraGO has raised legal objections that could lead to court challenges.