Milestone Achieved: Continued Funding for the Central Germany Link Secured

On Monday, funding for the expansion of the Central Germany Corridor was included in the cabinet’s draft federal budget. Provided the Bundestag approves the budget without changes on this point this fall, one of Thuringia’s most important infrastructure projects can now move forward as planned after all.

Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche expressed his gratitude and relief: “The MDV is the backbone of rail transport in the Free State; it is by far the busiest line and absolutely indispensable for commuters. For decades, its electrification and continuous double-tracking have been the overriding goal of transportation policy in Thuringia—July 6, 2026, marks an extremely positive turning point in this regard.”

Many deserve thanks for this great success, said Nitzsche, first and foremost the Thuringian Minister-President: 

“In November 2025, Mario Voigt not only had the right intuition that things could still have gotten tight for the MDV despite its inclusion in the list of urgent needs, but he also skillfully built the crucial bridge through direct talks with Federal Minister of Transportation Patrick Schnieder and, behind the scenes, laid the groundwork across party lines in the German Bundestag.”

The strong signals from across Thuringia were also noticed in Berlin. 

“The municipalities have repeatedly and with broad consensus highlighted the outstanding importance of the MDV, whether through the mayors at regional rail summits or through the city councils with numerous resolutions on the topic. We are also very grateful for the work of the Jena Alliance for Long-Distance Rail Transport, which is an important partner for us both in terms of expertise and in networking with rail-related circles.”

Nitzsche now hopes that, with regard to connecting Jena and Eastern Thuringia to long-distance rail service, a positive turnaround will be possible overall. In any case, with the mothers and fathers of the current success working in close collaboration, productive discussions are underway on this front as well. But the same rule applies here: “Don’t talk about it publicly until you’ve really got it wrapped up.”