Cottbus companies now have easier access to freight rail: a new transhipment terminal at the city’s power plant has officially opened. The facility, built by DB InfraGO, allows goods to be transferred between trucks and freight trains, replacing the old site that made way for Deutsche Bahn’s new maintenance works.
The launch was marked by Brandenburg’s Minister-President Dietmar Woidke, DB board member Daniela Gerd tom Markotten, Cottbus Chamber of Commerce president Jens Warnken, and DB InfraGO manager Imke Kellner. It coincided with the seventh meeting of the Task Force on the Cottbus rail hub.
"Our task force is setting the pace for structural change in Lausitz," Woidke said. "Expanding the Cottbus transport hub is central to the region’s economic development. With targeted cooperation between Deutsche Bahn, federal and state authorities, and partners, we accelerate progress — visible today with the new terminal."
DB’s Daniela Gerd tom Markotten highlighted the unusually fast delivery: "Opening a new access point to the rail network is always a special moment. The fact that this terminal is ready well before the December 2026 timetable change shows how closely and effectively everyone worked together."
For local businesses, the hub offers a wide ramp, space for heavy trucks to manoeuvre, and on-site storage areas — features missing at the old location. New tracks have also been laid, enabling trains to be shunted and parked, including freight trains up to 740 metres long. Noise protection at the power plant has been improved as part of the project.
Warnken called the facility "a necessary transhipment point for Lausitz companies" that will give freight operators more flexibility and allow sustainable supply chains to develop.
The task force also reviewed wider progress: a new rail infrastructure study programme will start at Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus-Senftenberg, while work continues on upgrading the Lübbenau–Cottbus line and the Königs Wusterhausen hub. Both are part of efforts to strengthen rail capacity between Berlin and the Lausitz, aiming for a 30-minute frequency.
The new Cottbus terminal will officially replace its predecessor in DB Cargo’s service offering from December 2026.
