Integrated Governance in Rail Delivery
Interview with Horst Amann, Managing Director of RTW Planungsgesellschaft mbH
RTW Planungsgesellschaft mbH combines the planning, construction and operation of new rail links. Supported by municipalities, the State of Hessen and the federal government, the company aims to make a complex public transport project governable and deliverable — with potential model value for metropolitan regions in Germany and across Europe.
What distinguishes RTW Planungsgesellschaft mbH is not only the scale of the rail project it is delivering, but the way responsibilities are institutionally aligned. Founded in 2008, the company was created to consolidate technical planning, political coordination and economic assessment within a single entity. The Reginaltangente West rail link is designed to connect key locations and transport hubs across the Rhine-Main region. Managing Director Horst Amann describes the model as a response to fragmented governance: “Large public transport projects tend to stall when responsibility is spread too widely. We wanted a structure that remains capable of acting across electoral cycles and administrative boundaries.”
Turning Point
A decisive moment came in 2015, when the company’s mandate was expanded beyond planning to include construction and later operation. This fundamentally changed RTW GmbH’s role. “A pure planning company would never have been able to create building rights,” says Mr. Amann. “Only by becoming a company that plans, builds and operates infrastructure could we act as project sponsor, acquire land and ultimately own the assets we deliver.” In 2019, shareholders reaffirmed their commitment to implementation, enabling the transition from preparatory work to execution and anchoring long-term financial responsibility across municipal, state and federal levels.
Operational Reality
RTW GmbH operates with a relatively lean permanent staff while coordinating a wide network of engineering firms, consultants and construction companies. The model combines flexibility with strategic control but could benefit from additional internal capacity. Executive management remains closely involved in approval procedures, cost development and construction progress. “If you lose sight of what is happening on the ground, you lose the ability to steer,” notes the managing director. Communication with stakeholders and the public is therefore treated as an integral part of project management.
Beyond the Project
As European cities face mounting pressure to expand rail-based public transport, RTW GmbH illustrates how governance design itself can become a success factor. By integrating responsibilities across the full infrastructure life cycle, the company offers a blueprint for metropolitan regions seeking to reduce fragmentation and improve accountability. “Infrastructure is built for decades after all,” says Mr. Amann. “If the structure is right, its value goes far beyond a single project.”