Pragmatism over ideology
From "too ideologically discussed" in 2018 to "a pragmatic, realistic view" in 2026, he frames his positions as practical rather than ideological. See political positions.
Parliamentary work · Statements
On the record, in his own words
An editorial archive of Steffen Bilger's verified public statements: interviews, press statements and ministry press releases from 2018 to October 2026. German originals are given where the wording is load-bearing, with English translations marked as such. Each entry links to the place it was published.
Six statements at a glance
Verkehrsinfrastruktur muss für die Menschen da sein.
"Transport infrastructure must be there for people." (translation)
Handover at the ministry, 29 July 2026
Mit der bisherigen Umsetzung der Korridorsanierungen … bin ich überhaupt nicht zufrieden.
"I am not at all satisfied with how the corridor renovations have been carried out so far." (translation)
Der Spiegel, 26 September 2026
Sicherheit im Zug ist kein Randthema.
"Safety on trains is not a side issue." (translation)
BMV press release 073, 10 August 2026
Als Unionsfraktion hätten wir die Brisanz früher erkennen müssen.
"As the Union group, we should have recognised how explosive this was earlier." (translation)
Stuttgarter Zeitung, 24 July 2025
Wer jetzt den Diesel verteufelt, hat nicht zu Ende gedacht.
"Anyone who demonises diesel now hasn't thought it through." (translation)
trans aktuell / eurotransport, 7 September 2018
Wir brauchen einen pragmatischen, realistischen Blick auf die Verkehrspolitik.
"We need a pragmatic, realistic view of transport policy." (translation)
On his appointment, 29 July 2026 (ZDF)
Archive · 2018–2026
Statement archive
Newest first. "Context" says where and why he spoke; the summary keeps to what the source reports. Speeches in the Bundestag are listed separately on speeches.
Autobahn financing
Context: cabinet approves his draft; BMV press release 093
Called the reform a "paradigm shift" in motorway financing that creates more room for investment; said renovations and new projects would be delivered more reliably and faster, and that the motorways stay entirely in public hands.
Drone detection at airports
Context: visit to Stuttgart Airport with Baden-Württemberg's transport minister; press release 091
„Wenn eine Drohne in der Nähe eines Flughafens auftaucht, müssen wir das frühzeitig wissen." ("If a drone appears near an airport, we need to know early", translation.) All eight major airports to have detection in the approach areas that week.
Deutschlandticket price for 2027
Context: Conference of Transport Ministers sets €66.80 a month
Described the ticket as "still a very attractive offer" (translation) after the 6% increase, which consumer and environmental groups criticised.
Drone detection at BER
Context: air navigation provider DFS starts a detection system at Berlin Brandenburg; press release 089
"Given the current situation, we are acting decisively" (translation); detection is "an important step for the safety of air traffic".
Rail renovation: "We were far too slow"
Context: interview with Der Spiegel
Said planning had been far too slow and processes lengthy; he was "not at all satisfied" with the corridor renovations, and no one could explain why commuter lines stayed closed so long without improving. Called the 70% punctuality target for 2029 "quite ambitious" given the backlog.
e-kerosene (eSAF)
Context: joint funding auction with Austria and Luxembourg; press release 088
„eSAF ist für mich nicht nur eine Frage der Klimapolitik, sondern auch eine industriepolitische Chance." ("For me, eSAF is not only a question of climate policy but also an industrial-policy opportunity", translation.)
Truck fast-charging network
Context: IAA Transportation, Hanover; press release 087
"The ramp-up of e-mobility is moving forward!" (translation). Announced construction at 124 unstaffed rest areas as part of a roughly €1 billion network.
Second Rhine bridge, B 293
Context: federal approval of revised plans; press release 086
"An important step towards the new B 293, which the region urgently awaits" (translation); credited the Infrastructure Future Act with speeding up such projects.
Speed limit and the rail system
Context: interview with Berliner Morgenpost
Rejected a speed limit, which "would deepen the division in the country further"; said "we have overloaded the rail system to some extent"; defended Deutschlandticket price adjustments as needed to keep services (translations).
Kiel Canal fee for leisure boats
Context: ordinance abolishing the fee from 2027; press release 085
„Wir wollen Bürokratie dort abbauen, wo sie den Menschen keinen Mehrwert bringt." ("We want to cut red tape where it brings people no added value", translation.)
Family seat reservations on DB
Context: Stuttgarter Zeitung report
"We are in talks with DB about it" (translation); said the abolition of the family reservation had rightly caused much dissatisfaction (reported speech).
German-Polish Friendship Pass
Context: free rail passes for 18–27-year-olds; press release 084
"It's finally starting!" (translation). 60,000 passes in total, 30,000 from each country, for travel in the neighbouring country.
Ground power at airports
Context: €25.6 million in grants; press release 083
"With our funding we are driving forward effective climate protection in aviation" (translation). According to the release, ground power and pre-conditioned air can save up to 300 litres of kerosene an hour on wide-body aircraft.
Digital Automatic Coupling
Context: funding for pioneer freight trains; press release 082
Called the coupling "a significant modernisation for rail freight", but added that it must convince users on function, lifespan and price for Europe-wide conversion to make economic sense.
Autonomous driving
Context: €14 million funding call; press release 080
„Autonomes Fahren bietet die Chance, Mobilität neu zu denken." ("Autonomous driving offers the chance to rethink mobility", translation.) Highlighted rural areas and the shortage of lorry drivers.
Single-wagon rail freight
Context: funding increase agreed with the Finance Minister; press release 079
„Die Förderung des Einzelwagenverkehrs ist eine wichtige Säule für einen wettbewerbsfähigen Schienengüterverkehr in unserem Land." ("Supporting single-wagon traffic is an important pillar of competitive rail freight", translation.) Said he had agreed the extra €84 million with Lars Klingbeil.
Zero-emission inland vessels
Context: €14 million funding call; press release 078
"We want the waterway to become an even stronger part of our modern transport infrastructure" (translation), especially for regional transport.
Rhine low water
Context: federal–state talks on supply chains; press release 075
Said the coming weeks would be demanding and that "we must act pragmatically now" (translation): exemptions from the lorry driving ban, extra rail capacity and more flexible transhipment.
Assaults on rail staff
Context: joint appearance with DB Regio; press release 073
Called the figures and staff accounts "shocking" and said safety on trains "is a basic precondition for functioning public transport" (translation).
Green inland shipping corridors
Context: €70 million funding call; press release 074
Called inland shipping "a powerful and climate-friendly mode of transport with great potential" (translation).
Rail punctuality and managers' bonuses
Context: interview with Bild; reported by ZDF
Called DB punctuality "completely inadequate" and said missed targets should affect board bonuses. Rejected a speed limit in favour of variable limits.
Kachlet double lock, Passau
Context: groundbreaking for a €380 million overhaul; press release 072
"That is infrastructure policy in practice: preserve, modernise and provide for the long term" (translation).
New president of the Federal Aviation Office
Context: Alexander Schott heads the LBA from 1 August; press release 071
"The Federal Aviation Office is a mainstay of German aviation" (translation).
Expectations on taking office
Context: Stuttgarter Zeitung, day after appointment
"It won't be possible for everything to be fine overnight"; renovation "will take time" and means disruption and, on the railways, delays (translations).
Appointment and handover
Context: Bellevue Palace and the ministry; press release 070
Called for "a pragmatic, realistic view of transport policy" and said transport infrastructure "must be there for people", using all modes where they are strongest.
Coalition discipline
Context: interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, as reported by a secondary outlet
"The Union has always delivered" (translation), citing the chancellor election, the judge election and the pensions package. The original interview was not available for checking.
Pensions package and the Junge Gruppe
Context: dispute in the CDU/CSU group; he was First Parliamentary Secretary
„Die Junge Gruppe hat schon einen Punkt." ("The Junge Gruppe does have a point", translation), while saying he was not happy with how they had made it.
The 2035 combustion-engine phase-out
Context: RTL/ntv "Frühstart" interview
Argued for loosening the EU phase-out: "as a car-making country, Germany sells cars to the whole world" (translation).
The failed judge election
Context: Stuttgarter Zeitung interview after the July vote was postponed
Said the group should have recognised the controversy earlier, that it was "definitely a burden for the coalition", and that the decisions had been taken by the group leadership collectively.
No talks with the Left on judge nominations
Context: before the planned judge elections
"We have no intention of approaching the Left or entering into any talks with the Left" (translation).
Coalition agreement on agriculture
Context: after the coalition talks, as CDU/CSU lead negotiator
"These were very tough negotiations with the Social Democrats"; the coalition set "completely different priorities from the previous government" (translations).
Criticism of the Agriculture Minister
Context: as deputy group chair in opposition
Said he had rarely seen a federal agriculture minister approach his task "with so little ambition" (translation).
Environmental Action Germany (DUH)
Context: ARD Monitor, on his district association's party-conference motion
Said an organisation that enters the debate as sharply as the DUH must accept that its conduct may be discussed. See criticism and controversies.
Diesel and technology openness
Context: interview with trans aktuell as Parliamentary State Secretary
Said transport policy was discussed "too ideologically", defended diesel, and called technology openness important for "the number one car-making country" (translations).
Logistics coordinator
Context: confirmed as Federal Government Coordinator for Freight Transport and Logistics
Said he would work to cut freight emissions and support shifting transport to rail and waterways, and that he was "as of now, the federal government's first point of contact for all logistics questions" (translation).
Reading across
Recurring themes
Patterns that appear across eight years of statements. These are this site's editorial summaries; the archive above holds the evidence.
Technology openness
Diesel in 2018, the combustion-engine phase-out in 2025, e-kerosene, charging and autonomous driving in 2026: he prefers enabling technologies to banning them. See innovation.
Rail must deliver
As minister he is openly critical of rail performance and ties management pay to punctuality, while warning that repairs mean disruption first. See rail.
Admitting limits
The judge-election interview and the "far too slow" remark on planning show a willingness to name failures, including his own side's.
Sources
- BMV — BMV-Aktuell (listing of press releases, interviews and videos)
- BMV — Press releases 070–093/2026 (individual links in the archive above)
- BMV — Interview with Der Spiegel (26 Sep 2026)
- Tagesspiegel — Bilger überhaupt nicht zufrieden mit Sanierungstempo der Bahn (Sep 2026)
- BMV — Interview with Berliner Morgenpost (14 Sep 2026)
- BMV — Interview with Bild (9 Aug 2026)
- ZDFheute — Bilger: Bahn-Manager-Boni (9 Aug 2026)
- ZDFheute — Ernennung der Minister (29 Jul 2026)
- Stuttgarter Zeitung — Verbesserungen beim Verkehr brauchen auch Zeit (30 Jul 2026)
- Stuttgarter Zeitung — Familienreservierung (13 Sep 2026)
- evangelisch.de — Deutschlandticket 2027 (30 Sep 2026)
- Apollo News — report on NOZ interview (21 Feb 2026; secondary)
- heidelberg24 — Rentenpaket (15 Oct 2025)
- Berliner Zeitung — Verbrenner-Aus (8 Oct 2025)
- Stuttgarter Zeitung — Richterwahl (24 Jul 2025)
- Schwäbische — Keine Gespräche zu Richtern (8 Jul 2025)
- top agrar — Politikwechsel (11 Apr 2025)
- top agrar — Bilger on Özdemir (15 Feb 2023)
- ARD Monitor — Der Angriff auf die Umwelthilfe (6 Dec 2018)
- eurotransport — Interview (7 Sep 2018)
- VerkehrsRundschau — Neue Staatssekretäre (11 Apr 2018)