The German federal government has made a relevant statement in response to a parliamentary inquiry from the Alternative for Germany party. In 2011, dismantling costs were estimated at €39.3 mln, but no updated figures were provided.
The 31.5 km Emsland test facility was built in 1983 by the Transrapid consortium, which included Siemens and ThyssenKrupp, and remained in operation until 2011. Several generations of Transrapid trains were tested on the site. The line’s speed record was set in June 1993 when the Transrapid 07 reached 450 km/h. The technology never gained commercial traction in Europe, with the only Transrapid project realised to date being the Shanghai maglev line, which opened in 2004. On that route, Transrapid 08 trains reach speeds of 431 km/h for a few minutes in service.
The Transrapid consortium ceased operations in 2012. This was largely attributed to a fatal accident near the German town of Lathen in 2006, in which 23 people lost their lives. Although dismantling efforts began after the facility’s closure, sections of guideway infrastructure remain standing.
Local authorities previously sought to interest investors in using the site for Hyperloop technology trials. In 2021, Chinese manufacturer CRRC also considered testing its maglev trains on the track. It is worth mentioning that CRRC continues to develop Transrapid technology under licence from ThyssenKrupp.
China is currently leading global efforts in high-speed maglev development. CRRC is trialling prototypes based on two distinct systems: electromagnetic suspension (EMS) and electrodynamic suspension (EDS). In addition, the Chinese aerospace corporation CASIC is developing the T-Flight maglev project, which envisages travel in a low-vacuum environment, following the principles of the Hyperloop concept.
