Display excavations and boreholes that take place at federal railway operating facilities and can affect the groundwater.

If you carry out earthworks on operating facilities of federal railways that could affect the groundwater, you must notify the Federal Railway Authority.

The construction and operation of railways can have impacts on groundwater. Therefore, you must notify the Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt – EBA) of exploratory excavations at operational facilities of federal railways (Eisenbahnen des Bundes – EdB) prior to the start of construction. This includes earthworks that may directly or indirectly affect the movement, level, or quality of the groundwater.

The notification-duty works that can affect groundwater include, in particular:

• Geotechnical boreholes
• Well drilling
• Construction of excavation pits in the fluctuating groundwater zone
• Construction of excavation supports, for example sheet pile walls or bored pile walls
• Construction of foundations, for example pile foundations
• other groundwater exposures

The notification requirement also covers earthworks that significantly affect groundwater, such as:

• Cuttings or embankments in railway construction
• Excavation of trenches for utility lines

You can submit the notification via the EBA's online portal "Wasserrechtliche Anzeige Erdaufschlüsse".

You can submit the advertisement preferably online, or also by email or by post.

Submit report online:

• Go to the online portal "Wasserrechtliche Anzeige Erdaufschlüsse" of the Federal Railway Authority (EBA).
• Log in with your ELSTER organizational certificate.
  • If you do not yet have an ELSTER organizational certificate, apply for one first.
• Fill out the form. The online portal will guide you step by step through the required information.
• Upload the required documents as PDF files. The total size of the files must not exceed 100 megabytes, and the individual files must not be larger than 10 megabytes.
• Submit the application. You will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt.
• The EBA will examine your documents and let you know when you may begin the work.
• If you do not receive a contrary message within one month of your notification, you may begin the notified work.

Submit advertisement by mail or email:

• Download the form.
• Fill out the form according to the specifications in the corresponding information sheet.
• Attach the required documents and send the notification by post or email to the locally competent Section 6 of the EBA. The total size of the files attached to the email must not exceed 10 megabytes.
• The EBA will examine your documents and let you know when you may begin the work.
• If you do not receive a contrary message within one month of your notification, you may begin the notified work.

The total amount of the fees depends on the time required for processing:

• 120.00 EUR per hour
• 30.00 EUR per started quarter of an hour

• Appeal: Detailed information on how to file an appeal can be found in the notice.
• administrative lawsuit