Mobility Minister Yuriko Backes on Thursday presented details of a €4.47 billion bill for new rail network infrastructure to parliament’s transport committee, clearing key hurdles for lawmakers to adopt the plans.
The bill foresees a maximum budget of €4.77 billion allocated for a new contract between the state and Luxembourg’s national railways operator CFL for the management of railway infrastructure between 2026 and the end of 2040. The costs of managing and maintaining the national rail network will be financed by the railways fund.
The figure includes the costs of personnel involved in network maintenance and management, investments in safety services at stops and stations, and modern equipment. Additional staff will be recruited by the CFL to ensure that maintenance projects can be fulfilled. The CFL is already Luxembourg’s largest employer.
The annual cost of improving and maintaining the railways has grown from €104 million in 2010 to the €254 million budgeted for this year. By 2030 the annual budget is expected to reach €306 million, and will rise to €364 million by 2040, according to the bill, which was first published in February.
The committee meeting on Thursday served to appoint a so-called rapporteur for the bill, a key step in the procedure to get it to a vote in parliament, where it has not been discussed since February.
In its opinion on the infrastructure plans, the Chamber of Commerce said that it welcomed resources being committed to improving the country’s transport infrastructure, “which is essential given Luxembourg’s demographic and economic growth.” But the chamber also stressed the importance of rigorous and efficient management of the funds being allocated to the projects.
The Council of State in a May opinion voiced no opposition to the plans. Approval from the council – Luxembourg’s de-facto upper chamber – is necessary for a draft law to be adopted by lawmakers.
The CFL last year set a record for both turnover, at over €1.2 billion, and profits, which rose from over €18 million to €25.6 million. It transported some 31.3 million passengers in 2024, another record.
MPs were also told about plans to redevelop Bettembourg station, with work scheduled to begin at the end of 2026. This includes adapting the track layout, rebuilding the underpass and constructing a combined pedestrian and cycle bridge, as well as building a flyover to eliminate the crossover between passenger and freight traffic. The station will remain operational during the works, Backes said.