State funding for private railways in Germany
In Germany, the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia has decided to provide EUR 2.4 million in funds for twelve projects of railway companies that do not belong to the German state (NE-railways).
Among others, this funding will benefit projects pursued by the following companies: Kreisbahn Siegen-Wittgenstein, Lappwaldbahn in the port of Saerbeck, the Mindener Kreisbahnen, Dortmunder Eisenbahn of Captrain Deutschland, Rhein-Sieg Verkehrsgesellschaft, Duisport and Häfen- und Güterverkehr Köln (Cologne).
According to the relevant ministry for transport, the tracks of these private railway companies connect the industrial areas, business centres and logistics hubs to the main network of the German railways and help avoid thousands of truck journeys. (ben)