Maglev train: Transport Minister Schnieder plans a comeback on stilts

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Germany and the maglev train: This is a story that oscillates somewhere between technological euphoria, political slapstick, and tragic failure. Anyone who thinks of levitating on a magnetic field has the images of the Transrapid in mind, which raced through the Emsland region at 500 km/h. But while the Transrapid, as a long-distance transport hope, has long since landed in museums and in China, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) is now preparing a return of the technology behind the scenes – albeit with a new focus.

The rhetorical highlight of German magnetic train history remains unforgettable: Edmund Stoiber's legendary speech from 2002. In a desperate attempt to praise the advantages of connecting Munich Airport to the main train station, the then Bavarian CSU state premier went so far as to say sentences like: "If you are at Munich Central Station and in ten minutes, without having to check in at the airport, then you are basically starting your flight at the airport from Munich Central Station." The vision that the transport hub in the city center would virtually become a gate ultimately failed, just like the project itself.

New technology for urban commuter madness

Schnieder's vision is no longer aimed at long distances between metropolises or Stoiber's airport connection, but at the daily commuter madness in cities. The maglev train is to be established in the future as a serious competitor to classic subways and trams in local public transport (ÖPNV). The foundation for these plans is a feasibility study that former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) commissioned in 2020.

The results of this study, which the transport department still considers a valid basis, are clear: modern magnetic technology is classified as a "available and competitive alternative to classic guided transport systems," explained a ministry spokesperson to the Rheinische Post. It is not about a mere revival of the old Transrapid concept, but about a new generation of trains that could operate technically much more flexibly and efficiently than their ancestors from the nineties.

The spokesperson particularly highlighted the advantages under difficult topographical conditions, where the system is superior to conventional trains.

Flexibility on stilts instead of expensive tunnel construction

A decisive advantage of the new maglev trains lies in their structural flexibility. Since the trains are guided on stilts, i.e. "supported," the transport department estimates that they can be realized much faster than ground-based rail systems, which often require lengthy tunnel construction or massive interventions in existing infrastructure. Where the classic tram reaches its limits and subway construction costs billions, Transrapid 2.0 could fill a gap that is both economically and ecologically attractive.

To ensure that technological feasibility becomes real infrastructure, the ministry is currently planning the decisive lever at the political level, according to the report: opening up the Gemeindeverkehrsfinanzierungsgesetz (GVFG - Municipal Transport Financing Act). So far, the funding pots have primarily been reserved for conventional rail projects. Through an amendment to the law, innovative approaches such as maglev trains will also be eligible for funding in the future. The GVFG allows for funding of up to 90 percent of the costs through federal financial aid. With a current budget of around two billion euros per year, this would be a tangible investment boost for courageous municipalities.

Berlin as a showcase?

A prominent example of this old-new approach can be found in the capital. In Berlin, plans for a maglev test track are once again being pushed. Transport Senator Ute Bonde (CDU) is currently having a connection examined that would link the former Tegel Airport site – today's "Urban Tech Republic" – with Spandau station. This approximately five- to seven-kilometer-route could replace a previously planned tram and serve as a pilot project for all of Germany.

Critics, such as those from the Green Party, speak of "irresponsible" politics. They warn of "expensive toys" and "castles in the air" and recall the failure of Berlin's M-Bahn at Potsdamer Platz. However, proponents in Berlin sense an opportunity to pioneer technological advancements. According to them, the route in the northwest of the metropolis could become a showcase for what Schnieder wants to promote nationwide: a quiet, low-emission, and space-saving means of transport that catapults public transport into the 21st century. If the legal hurdles in the GVFG are overcome, levitating over the asphalt – without Stoiber's linguistic struggles – could still become a common sight in German cities.

(nie)