Förderung des Kombinierten Verkehrs unter Druck – AGORA fordert mehr Haushaltsmittel für 2027

The German government’s draft federal budget for 2027 proposes significant cuts in funding for intermodal terminals. In an open letter, the European terminal interest group AGORA warns of the consequences for essential infrastructure investments and calls for adequate financial resources.

Under the draft federal budget for 2027, only €73.3 million is earmarked for intermodal terminal funding. Including support for private rail sidings, the total allocation amounts to €93.3 million – approximately 24% less than in 2025.

At the same time, investment requirements are increasing. In addition to the expected growth in combined transport, many existing terminals need to be modernised and renewed. Replacement investments in handling equipment, gantry cranes, railway tracks and terminal areas, as well as the digitalisation of terminal processes, require additional financial resources.

The AGORA Terminal Interest Group therefore supports the call to increase the relevant budget allocation to at least €120 million in 2027 and €150 million in 2028. At the same time, the absence of a successor funding guideline to the German Combined Transport Funding Directive (RL-KV) from 2027 onwards creates considerable uncertainty for future investment planning.

Through its open letter, AGORA encourages terminal owners and operators, intermodal transport operators, railway undertakings and other stakeholders to raise awareness among political decision-makers of the importance of adequate and reliable funding.

KombiConsult GmbH provides the secretariat for the European terminal platform AGORA, which brings together more than 20 terminal operators representing over 75 intermodal terminals.

The full open letter dated 28 October 2026 is available for download here: