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Noise Mapping, Noise Action Planning and Geoinformation

Responsibilities of the Federal Railway Authority (EBA)

In accordance with the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) and the German Federal Immission Control Act (German: Bundes-Immissionschutzgesetz, BImschG) it is the responsibility of the Federal Railway Authority (German: Eisenbahn-Bundesamt, EBA) to:

  • create environmental noise maps for federal railways in Germany
  • compose a noise action plan for the federal major railways in Germany
  • contribute to the agglomerations’ noise action planning
  • report the results of the noise mapping to the European Commission and
  • provide information to the public.

Environmental noise mapping is a geodata project based on the provisions of the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC). It is conducted by the EBA for all federal railways in Germany. Environmental noise maps must be reviewed and - if necessary - revised every five years.

EBA publishes the results of the environmental noise mapping in the form of noise level bands showing the noise indicators LDEN (weighted 24-hour value) and LNight as well as in statistical fact sheets on noise exposure. The GeoPortal.EBA provides all published results and is accessible free of charge via https://www.geoportal.eisenbahn-bundesamt.de. Additionally, in compliance with the INSPIRE Directive, EBA provides data for embedding into geographic information systems via OGC services. The listed OGC-Services are available via www.eba.bund.de/laermkartierung.

Noise Action Planning

The aim of noise action planning is to diminish harmful or annoying noise exposure. It is based on environmental noise maps and the outcomes of a public participation procedure. Noise action plans determine the extent of exposure to environmental noise and develop a long-term strategy for noise reduction.

Since 2015, EBA has been in charge of composing noise action plans for the major federal railways. Major federal railways are railways with more than 30.000 train passages per year. Within agglomerations, EBA additionally maps all other federal railways. An agglomeration is an urbanized area with more than 100.000 inhabitants in total and more than 1.000 inhabitants per km². EBA contributes to the noise action planning of the agglomerations by delivering geodata and further information to their administrations.

Just as the environmental noise maps, EBA must review and – if necessary – revise the noise action plans for major federal railways every five years.

Contact information

Federal Railway Authority (EBA)
Division 53 (Noise Mapping, Noise Action Planning and Geoinformation)
E-Mail: umgebungslaerm@eba.bund.de

To the list of OGC-Services

To the Geoportal.EBA