Train traffic
This changes for rail travelers with the new timetable
Deutsche Bahn is struggling with a dilapidated network. Now new connections are being added – especially abroad. The railway is particularly proud of an ICE train between two capitals.
Paris, Venice, Krakow, Amsterdam – Deutsche Bahn passengers will benefit from new connections and a more frequent service to European cities when the timetable changes. The federally owned company focuses primarily on international trips. According to Deutsche Bahn, there will now be more than 330 trips from Germany to twelve neighboring countries every day.
Within Germany, the railway, which is struggling with a dilapidated route network and poor punctuality, wants to score points with, among other things, more sprinters between Berlin and Frankfurt. Traveling by train will sometimes become more expensive for customers. In addition, the next major construction site will bring restrictions for passengers. The changes at a glance:
From Berlin to Paris in eight hours
From the German to the French capital without changing trains – the new ICE connection via Frankfurt Süd, Karlsruhe and Strasbourg begins operations on Monday. It starts at Berlin Central Station at 12:02 p.m. and arrives eight hours later (7:55 p.m.) at Paris Est station. Departure from Paris is scheduled for 9:55 a.m. and travelers should arrive in the federal capital at 5:56 p.m.
Other international connections include the fact that, for the first time, Amsterdam can be reached daily by ICE from Stuttgart and Munich without changing trains. There is a new late connection in both directions every day between Frankfurt and Brussels from mid-April to the beginning of November. There are two more trains running between Munich and Zurich, as well as on the route between Berlin, Wroclaw and Krakow. Further direct trains from Munich via Verona to Venice or Bologna are also to be added in the summer. Compared to 2019, there are around 25 percent more connections to neighboring countries, the railway said.
More sprinters between Berlin and Frankfurt
The railway wants to use more trains on particularly popular domestic routes. Six additional so-called sprinters drive without stopping between the capital and the Main metropolis in around four hours. If on time, the sprinters travel around 20 minutes faster on the connection than regular long-distance trains. Otherwise, comparatively little changes domestically.
Among other things, the railway is setting up an additional direct train between Berlin and Saarbrücken and, from mid-March, between Rostock, Leipzig, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. A second daily direct train will also run between Bremen and Berlin. The new timetable also brings a new ICE night connection between Berlin and Switzerland. There will be no change to the night train service, which the railway offers primarily in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Railways.
Flex price and Bahncard 100 are becoming more expensive
Anyone who wants to travel with a flexible price ticket in the future will have to dig deeper into their pockets than before. According to the railway, prices increase by an average of 5.9 percent. With a flex-price ticket, customers can take any long-distance train on the respective connection during the day, making them more flexible. The so-called savings and super savings offers remain unchanged. The starting prices are still 17.99 euros for the super saver tickets and 21.99 euros for the saver tickets.
The railway announced an average increase of 6.6 percent for the Bahncard 100, with which travelers can travel on all DB trains as often as they want. For example, the regular Bahncard 100 for second class is 4,899 euros for one year; if you want to travel first class, you have to pay 7,999 euros.
When is the train coming? The white plans are stuck for now
Do they disappear – or do they not? There was a lot of fuss at the end of November about the white arrival plans at Deutsche Bahn train stations. The company first announced that it would forego the notices when the timetable changed. Just two days later, the railway backed down after clear criticism from passenger representatives, among others. The arrival plans remain – at least for now.
30,000 passengers daily: renovation of the Hamburg-Berlin route
Deutsche Bahn and its passengers are struggling with the fact that many trains do not reach their destination on time. The group attributes this primarily to an outdated and dilapidated rail network – and wants to bring the network back into shape with a general renovation. The first section of the route between Frankfurt and Mannheim has just been completed. The significantly more complex modernization of the Hamburg-Berlin railway line is to follow next year.
Construction work is scheduled to begin in August and last until April 2026. The route between Hamburg and Berlin will be completely closed during this time. Freight and passenger traffic will be largely rerouted.
The busy corridor, on which around 30,000 passengers travel every day, is part of a large-scale renovation program by Deutsche Bahn.
DB announcement from October 11th
dpa
Source: Stern
