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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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Germany’s federal railway authority has issued the European country’s first license for public magnetic levitation (maglev) train operation, in a major milestone for the nascent technology’s use.
Why It Matters
Germany’s decision to grant its first operating license for maglev trains represents a pivotal moment for transportation innovation in Europe. With increasing pressure on urban infrastructure, the shift toward efficient, sustainable, and high-frequency public transport options is a priority across the continent.
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Maglev systems, which use magnetic fields for frictionless propulsion and promise lower environmental impacts, are positioned as solutions in the European Green Deal and the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.
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What To Know
The Federal Railway Authority in Germany, Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA), has issued the country’s first license for public maglev train operation to TSB Betriebs, a subsidiary of construction company Max Bögl.
The German construction firm has engineered the Transport System Bögl (TSB), a driverless maglev public transit system designed for urban environments.
It delivers quiet, energy-efficient, and highly adaptable operation across elevated tracks, ground-level routes, or tunnels.
This latest approval from the EBA means the TSB maglev line could become the first public passenger service using the technology in Europe.
TSB targets short-distance urban and regional transit with operating speeds up to 150 km/h (about 93 mph).
Uniquely, the TSB system places the key stator component onboard the vehicle instead of the track infrastructure and is powered by a 750 V DC third rail system, according to Rolling Stock World.
Rolling stock prototypes, assembled by German manufacturer HeiterBlick, feature driverless trains in modules of two to six sections, each 12 meters long and weighing 18.5 tons, with a maximum capacity of 127 passengers each.
The design is meant to handle steep gradients and tight curves, making it suitable for urban environments.
The TSB system operates an 820-meter test track in Sengenthal, Germany, as well as a demonstration line in Chengdu, China, which has reached world record medium- and low-speed maglev velocities of 169 km/h (2021) and 181 km/h (2024).
While projects have been proposed for cities such as Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Nuremberg, no public maglev lines have yet been constructed in Germany.
What People Are Saying
Max Bögl says TSB is a “modern, emission-free, and automated local transport solution designed specifically for urban and regional applications.”
Giuseppe Carcasi, coordinator for Europe’s MaDe4Rail project, which aims to “explore non-traditional and emerging maglev-derived systems,” said: “Innovation within the railway system represents a strategic response to the evolving trends that are reshaping mobility.”
What Happens Next
EBA’s approval is expected to accelerate efforts to commercialize maglev technology and expand deployment. It could set a European benchmark, prompting countries to endorse and implement advanced rail technologies as part of their transition to greener mobility options.
With licensing now secured, TSB Betriebs and Max Bögl may move ahead on constructing Europe’s inaugural public maglev train line in Germany, although no city has yet finalized deployment.
Projects such as MaDe4Rail and initiatives in Poland and Italy demonstrate a continental trend toward integrating maglev and comparable advanced mobility technologies into both new and existing infrastructure.
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