Rail traffic - Altenburg station renovated in September - line closure
Extensive construction works on the Sachsen-Franken-Magistrale through Thuringia are progressing according to railway announcements, but they come with restrictions for travelers. The railway station Altenburg in Ostthuringen is expected to be completed by September, as announced by Deutsche Bahn in the Thuringian town of Goesnitz (Altenburger Land) on Thursday. This will improve conditions for mobility-impaired people as well as travelers with heavy luggage, bicycles, or strollers. However, track closures are necessary.
To connect new tracks, switches, and signals to the electronic signaling technology, train traffic on the Neukieritzsch-Altenburg/Schmölln-Gößnitz/Meerane-Crimmitschau lines must be halted from July 7 to September 2. Intermittent closures are planned. A bus replacement service will be provided.
Bus Replacement and Altered Schedules
Work will be carried out at numerous construction sites between Leipzig and Crimmitschau simultaneously, explained Jens Hettwer, Technology Manager at DB InfraGO. Certain track work and electronic signaling work can only be done when no trains are running. Therefore, construction work will be concentrated between Regis-Breitingen, Altenburg, Gößnitz, and Crimmitschau.
On the S 5 Halle (Saale)-Leipzig-Altenburg-Zwickau and RE 1 Göttingen-Glauchau and RE 3 Erfurt-Altenburg/Greiz lines, there will be disruptions between Neukieritzsch, Altenburg/Schmölln, Gößnitz/Meerane, and Zwickau from July to early September, including bus replacement services and schedule changes. The revised schedules can be obtained from the railway information systems.
Renovation of 52 Stations along the Magistrale
According to Deutsche Bahn, the Sachsen-Franken-Magistrale covers approximately 288 kilometers. It connects the railway sections Dresden-Hof and Leipzig-Werdau in Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt with Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. An extensive renovation program is underway.
Approximately 850 kilometers of tracks on the lines and at stations will be rebuilt, 900 kilometers of overhead power lines will be renewed, and 52 stations and halts will be modernized. Thirty-two electronic signaling centers will be built, and 233 railway bridges will be repaired or replaced. After the modernization of the Magistrale, trains could travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h instead of the current 120 km/h.
Bahn Information on the Magistrale
- Due to the railway works on the Sachsen-Franken-Magistrale, rail traffic between Neukieritzsch and Schmölln in East Thuringia may be affected.
- Travelers should be aware of the road closure along the route from Neukieritzsch to Altenburg, as this may impact alternative transportation options.
- German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) has advised that passengers using the S 5 Halle (Saale)-Leipzig-Altenburg-Zwickau and RE 1 Göttingen-Glauchau and RE 3 Erfurt-Altenburg/Greiz lines should anticipate disruptions and bus replacement services.
- The construction works in Schmölln, Altenburg, Gößnitz, and Crimmitschau in Saxony and Thuringia are part of an extensive renovation program for the Sachsen-Franken-Magistrale.
- The railroad modernization includes upgrades to 52 stations, 900 kilometers of overhead power lines, and 233 railway bridges in the region, aiming to increase train speeds to 160 km/h from the current 120 km/h.
- Passengers planning to travel through Thuringia, Saxony, or Bavaria along the Sachsen-Franken-Magistrale are encouraged to check the updated traffic information and schedules provided by German Railways.
