The German government on Tuesday agreed to pump 62 billion euros ($69 billion) into its rail network as part of a wider plan to promote greener transport.

“We’ve just signed the biggest programme of modernisation ever in Germany,” said Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer, adding that “this is the decade for railway”.

Besides the massive sum stumped up by the state, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn will also plough an additional 24 billion euros into the renewal programme.