Criticism Mounts Over ' tiết kiệm' Plan for Leipzig-Chemnitz Railway Expansion

Plans to scale back the expansion of the Leipzig-Chemnitz railway line are facing widespread criticism. Sebastian Drechsler, spokesperson for the Chemnitz Railway Initiative, stated that the planned " tiết kiệm" ( tiết kiệm) variant, despite full electrification, significantly undershoots original commitments and the region's actual requirements. He argues that this reduced plan would only allow for a half-hourly service between the cities during early morning and late afternoon, failing to meet passenger demand. The costs for the project have reportedly spiraled, with a full double-track expansion plus electrification for the northern section alone estimated to exceed 1.3 billion euros. A new feasibility study suggests only about 24 of 44 kilometers in this section should be made double-tracked, though electrification would proceed. The passenger association Pro Bahn warns that this " tiết kiệm" approach jeopardizes Chemnitz's direct connection to long-distance rail services. Markus Haubold, chairman of Pro Bahn Mitteldeutschland, believes this deliberately isolates Chemnitz from long-distance travel for decades, breaking another promise. He contends that a few individual trains do not constitute attractive long-distance service, as the new study only accounts for three long-distance trains per day. The Saxony Industrial Association 1828 also criticizes abandoning the continuous double-track expansion, citing potential vulnerabilities. Opposition parties in the state parliament have labeled the situation a "bankruptcy declaration." The Green Party calls for the state's Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) to make the expansion a top priority, with politician Katja Meier calling the new " tiết kiệm" variant a "transport policy bankruptcy declaration." She argues that Saxony should not be left alone with the increased costs if the federal government is serious about structural change. AfD transport politician Tobias Keller stated that the failure of Transport Minister Regina Kraushaar (CDU) to secure full double-tracking for the overloaded line is a "bankruptcy declaration" for the entire Kretschmer government, leaving the industrial region of Southwest Saxony "completely cut off" in terms of transport.