Funding for Investments in the Reactivation or Upgrade of Non-Federally Owned Public Railway Infrastructures Outside the Rhineland-Palatinate Timetable (VV NE-Bahnen)

The Rhineland-Palatinate state funding program targets municipal corporations, municipal special-purpose associations, and legal entities under private law, especially railway infrastructure companies. The support aims at investments in public railway infrastructures that do not belong to the federally owned network and are outside the daily Rhineland-Palatinate timetable. The overarching goal is to strengthen and ensure the long-term preservation of these regionally important infrastructures.

The funding program supports investments and preparatory planning services for the reactivation, upgrading, or maintenance of operational safety of non-federally owned public railway infrastructures in Rhineland-Palatinate. Eligible for funding are, among other things, supplies and services provided in the context of commercial/freelance activities, as well as the applicant's own contributions. Excluded from funding, however, are land acquisition or lease costs, personnel and material expenses of the applicant related to the application process, and ongoing operating and maintenance costs.

Financial support is granted as a one-time, non-repayable construction cost subsidy for partial financing. The funding amount varies depending on the type of measure: Up to 85% of eligible expenses can be granted for overall measures and up to 50% for individual measures. A municipal own contribution is required, and financing must also be secured for any planning deviations. A subsequent increase in state funding is excluded.

To receive funding, applicants must meet a series of conditions. These include demonstrating the economic and legal viability of the project, acquiring or leasing the relevant railway areas, and conducting a comprehensive economic feasibility study. The start of the measure must not precede the application. Additionally, general ancillary provisions (ANBest-P or ANBest-K) become an integral part of the grant decision.

The application procedure for funding requires the submission of a complete application to the responsible ministry. Applicants must submit specific documents such as a comprehensive explanatory report and detailed financial evidence. The approval of grants is at the discretion of the approving authority and within the framework of available budget funds; there is no legal entitlement to funding. Disbursement is made proportionally upon application by the grant recipient.

The funding program is legally anchored in the administrative regulation “VV NE-Bahnen,” which details the specific framework conditions and objectives of the funding. This administrative regulation, in turn, is based on the provisions of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Budget Code and its administrative regulations, which form the overarching budgetary and grant law bases.