- Approaching Cessation of Alternative Traffic Routes on the Rhine Valley Railway
Following a three-week hiatus, trains are set to roll again on the Rheintalbahn, a critical north-to- south link, starting from Friday evening, as per Deutsche Bahn (DB)'s announcement. The spokesperson revealed that long-distance and certain regional trains will be operational from Friday night onwards. However, passengers in regional traffic might still face restrictions in September. The details can be found on www.bahn.de and the DB Navigator app. Rail officials also advise passengers to allow extra travel time and consider an earlier connection if necessary.
Since August 9, the railway has been carrying out maintenance on the Rastatt tunnel's southern connection as part of the Karlsruhe-Base project. The progress is steady, with the spokesperson confirming the completion of track adjustments last week and smooth overhead line work currently underway. Complex tasks related to signaling and safety technology remain pending in the last phase of the closure. Additionally, a software update was successfully carried out in the Baden-Baden control center over the weekend. Freight trains can also resume operation on Rheintalbahn, but they will still be re-routed occasionally.
Additional restrictions in regional traffic
From August 9, 5:00 AM till September 9, rail services will continue to be disrupted in Durmersheim and Rastatt, as well as control centers and switches in Rastatt and Baden-Baden. Passengers on lines RE 2 and RE 7 can expect schedule alterations, including delays and cancellations, and temporary alternative transportation between Karlsruhe and Offenburg. Trains on lines RE 40, RB 41, and RB 44 will be replaced by buses from the Karlsruhe main station at least until Rastatt. All regional trains between Rastatt and Baden-Baden will be suspended on September 8, with bus services in their place.
Limited services will persist on S-Bahn lines 7 and 8 until September 21, as per the Karlsruhe public transit authority. Passengers are advised to check the departure boards at stations. More information is available online at avg.info/fahrplan/fahrplanauskunft.
Work to continue for years
Initial challenges with alternative traffic were faced at the start of the closure. Insufficient bus numbers and inadequate signage for the rail replacement traffic were among the criticisms. Freight trains also expressed dissatisfaction with the intended reroute via France. However, the railway managed to swiftly address the freight traffic issues.
Over 300 local, long-distance, and freight trains use the over 170-year-old route daily, according to the railway. "This is too much for the track," it explains. Therefore, the railway is constructing two additional tracks to prevent delays due to slow-moving trains. Long-distance trains will then be able to reach speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. "This will bring down travel time between Karlsruhe and Basel by around half an hour to about 70 minutes." Construction of the four continuous tracks is expected to be completed by 2035, but the complete billion-dollar expansion of the Rheintalbahn will take until 2041.
Passengers impacted by the ongoing maintenance on the Rheintalbahn in August and September may consider using alternative transport options, such as buses, to ensure they reach their destinations. Once the maintenance is completed and trains resume operation, passengers should allow extra travel time due to potential delays and consider earlier connections where necessary.
