Environmental protection

Along with operational safety, the protection of the environment and nature is a high priority for DB Group – from planning and construction through to the operation of the infrastructure. We are currently developing a biodiversity net-gain vision and are working on achieving a better balance between operational rail requirements and nature conservation. The net-gain approach pursues voluntary biodiversity-enhancing measures that go beyond compensation.

To counteract the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems, we act according to the principle of the mitigation hierarchy. Firstly, negative impacts on nature must be avoided as far as possible. Where interventions are unavoidable due to the need for operation and operational safety, measures are taken to minimize the associated effects. Suitable compensation measures are taken for any remaining adverse effects, e.g. by creating mitigation and compensation areas in accordance with nature conservation law.

For example, as part of the planned four-track expansion of the line between Frankfurt West and Bad Vilbel, we are compensating for the impact on nature by upgrading the Eschersheim weir ecologically. An important part of this is widening and deepening a 400-meter section of the river in order to improve ecological continuity for fish and promote biodiversity. In addition, we are lowering the bed of the Urselbach stream and thus creating more flood protection. The renaturation of the Urselbach stream began in late January 2025.