The transportation of goods and passengers by rail is not silent. In order to ensure more peace and quiet on railroad lines for residents, Deutsche Bahn, together with the federal government, wants to relieve more than 800,000 people from rail traffic noise by 2030. That is more than half of the affected residents who currently live along noisy routes. And by 2050, all affected residents are to be relieved of noise pollution – more than 1.6 million people.

To achieve this, DB erects noise barriers when lines are newly built or upgraded. But noise barriers are also installed along existing lines with funds from the federal government's voluntary noise abatement program. They absorb and shield the sound of passing trains. These include low noise barriers or those made of gabions, mesh cages filled with stones.

Noise barriers are an intrusion into the environment. For this reason, it is important to Deutsche Bahn that there is an effective interplay between noise reduction for local residents on the one hand and compatibility with the urban environment on the other.

Design of noise barriers

Based on the guidelines for noise abatement funding, more elaborately designed and constructed noise barriers can also be funded in certain cases - for example in areas relevant to tourism. In this way, the respective local appearance requirements can be taken into account and the acceptance of construction projects can be increased.

Modern and visually appealing noise barriers will also be erected in the area of noise prevention, for example as part of the rail link to the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link. Transparent building materials can be used at the seven new stops between Lübeck and Fehmarn – or walls designed bearing municipal coats of arms. The first examples were presented in Oldenburg (Holstein) together with the Schleswig-Holstein public transport association (NAH.SH). Residents were able to vote online on the design of future noise barriers in the Lübeck urban area. The preferred variants will now be incorporated into the further implementation process.

Mobile noise barriers are also used along railroad construction sites. So that birds, for example, can breed undisturbed and residents can sleep soundly.