About us

The labels range from "eco-alliance" (Der Spiegel 08.04.2009) and "lobby group with Deutsche Bahn affinities" (Die Welt, 02.06.2006) to "critical of Deutsche Bahn" (Hessische / Niedersächsische Allgemeine, 24.4.2009) and "trade sector association" (Deutsche Verkehrszeitung, 29.10.2009). They sound contradictory but they are all suitable. How can that be?

The fact is, the Pro-Rail Alliance (Allianz pro Schiene) is Germany's most unconventional transport alliance, with no other organisation in Germany having such a broad non-profit spectrum to compare with our railway alliance. Environmental groups, unions, trade associations and consumer organisations, including two automobile clubs, all work closely with us on a permanent basis to promote rail transport. These 18 non-profit organisations, which as ordinary members formally make up the German Pro-Rail Alliance as a registered association, represent more than two million individual members.

The Pro-Rail Alliance is actually doubly unique: in no other organisation can such a close alliance between civil society and industry be found as in the Pro-Rail Alliance. In addition to the non-profit organisations, which seek to promote the railways for non-commercial reasons, our alliance has the financial support of over 100 companies working in the railway sector, with ever increasing numbers. This group includes train operating companies and infrastructure operators, manufacturers of railway technology, construction companies, banks, insurance companies and others. The supporting group includes global market leaders as well as small and medium-sized companies. Their combined annual turnover from rail-related activities amounts to 35 billion Euros.

Because the Pro-Rail Alliance promotes climate protection, the tax authorities officially class it as a non-commercial entity. It is funded by contributions from the industry as a permanent investment aimed at increasing the market share of the environmentally friendly railways. This heterogeneous alliance is the only one of its kind in Germany, even in other areas of politics. In academia, we are already creating a furore as a "strategic alliance showpiece". In everyday lobbying activities, the many-faceted structure of our alliance ensures that we have to be creative and helps us to maintain a holistic view of transport and the railways. After all, narrow-gauge thinking was yesterday.