Infrastructure crisis: 84 percent of companies suffer from deficiencies!

Infrastructure crisis: 84 percent of companies suffer from deficiencies!

The current infrastructure situation in Germany is causing problems for many companies. A survey by the German Economic Institute (IW) shows alarming figures: over 84 percent of companies report disruptions caused by inadequate infrastructure. Handwerksblatt considers this to be worrying, especially with regard to the economic growth factor. Compared to 2018, only 67 percent reported similar problems - the increase is clearly noticeable.

The transport infrastructure in particular is in the crossfire of criticism. An incredible 92 percent of affected companies see themselves hindered by poor road conditions. The rail network also poses major challenges for around 71 percent of companies. “The infrastructure is a brake on the German economy,” explains IW expert Thomas Puls and warns urgently about the consequences of a non-active system. The survey, which was conducted in spring 2025 among almost 1,100 companies, shows that fewer than 16 percent of companies have no problems with the infrastructure - in 2013 it was over 40 percent, which represents a dramatic decline.

Hope and reality

Many companies were hoping for improvement through the “Special Infrastructure and Climate Neutrality Fund” with a volume of 500 billion euros. But this confidence is waning. The funds provided in the new federal budget will flow predominantly into consumption and not into necessary investments. A lack of capacity in authorities and construction companies also hinders the implementation of projects, which does not necessarily make the situation any easier.

Germany experienced a relevant incident last September with the collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden, which luckily left no one injured. The bridge was in a dilapidated condition and such incidents could become commonplace in the future, experts warn. According to [DW](https://www.dw.com/de/broken-infrastructure-deutschland-sonderverm%C3%B6gen- Debt Brake-cdu-spd-br%C3%BCcken-bahn-wohnungen-v3/a-71893602), an estimated 40,000 bridges are in great need of renovation. Only limited funds are earmarked for maintenance activities in 2024 and 2025, which is considered insufficient.

The big picture

The investment backlog in German infrastructure is enormous. According to a study, investments amounting to 600 billion euros are required to meet basic needs in various areas such as education, health and transport. This is not only a challenge for politics, but also for the economy in general. The Federal Association of German Industry estimates that 165 billion euros are necessary to renovate the transport infrastructure alone. The pressure is increasing because without rapid action the situation could become even more disastrous. It remains to be seen whether the political and financial efforts being made now will deliver the desired results.

Another focus is on rail transport. Deutsche Bahn has ambitiously planned to repair 40 important sections of the route by 2030, but financing is uncertain. This shows that the infrastructure problem ultimately affects everyone – from small entrepreneurs to large companies and society as a whole.