Deutsche Bahn has now taken the first steps towards further networking its route network with fiber optic cables. It is now looking for suitable companies for the project across Europe using the award procedure, those that are still outstanding 13. 400 km to wire. This should be completed in seven years.

So far, according to the railway, around 20. 000 km of fiber optic cables laid along their routes. So far it has only used a small part of it itself, and it rents out unused capacities. Own requirements are likely to increase soon, because the railway wants to have all signal boxes digitally converted by 2035. Many of them currently still have to be operated by hand.

The recent faltering expansion of the fiber optic network met with criticism from the Bundestag opposition. “The railway would have used the existing route network much earlier to lay fiber-optic connections and thus supply millions of households and companies,” said the left-wing member of the Bundestag Victor Perli recently. “There is a risk of years of delays if there are legal proceedings due to the award procedure.”

Fast Internet for the country In addition to digitization of its own network, Deutsche Bahn wants to use fiber optics to help provide rural areas with high-speed internet. The potential partners of the railway should be able to use the infrastructure for this purpose. Elaborate planning approval procedures were omitted, the railway announced.

The award procedure provides for fiber optic cables and possibly cable routing systems along 10. 100 kilometers of rails to be laid. Because 1900 kilometers ran in parallel, they could be developed together; the potential partners should supply about 8200 kilometers with fiber optics. The DB wants to expand about 3300 more kilometers to 2024 itself.

Two fiber optic cables are to be laid in the cable routing systems. Interested companies can first apply for a framework agreement with DB Netz. Then the entire route network or individual upgraded routes are to be awarded to the selected framework contract partners.

(anw)