- Bus shuttle: Monday chaotic, Tuesday better
After a chaotic start to the week, the situation with the bus replacement service for the closed Rhine Valley railway line improved on Tuesday. "There were actually enough buses," said a passenger at the scene. "So far, it's been pleasant," reported a Swiss passenger.
The day before, however, it looked different: Deutsche Bahn asked the city of Baden-Baden for help. "The situation there was chaotic," said press spokesman Joshua Treffert to the "Badische Neueste Nachrichten". Among others, the Stadtwerke Baden-Baden provided two buses for the rail replacement service.
The construction office also improved the signage for the replacement traffic. This had apparently led to some misunderstandings, said a press spokesman for the Baden-Baden fire department. In the high temperatures, water was additionally provided for the passengers. The German Red Cross (DRK) was also on duty.
Bahn apologizes to passengers
"We apologize explicitly to our passengers who had to wait longer for the onward journey with a bus in Baden-Baden yesterday," said Deutsche Bahn. At the same time, the Bahn thanked DRK, fire department, and the city of Baden-Baden for the short-term help.
Numerous measures were taken to improve the situation. Accordingly, the number of buses in long-distance traffic was increased to up to ten per direction. Additional staff was hired and the route guidance was improved, it was said. In the future, buses will wait for delayed trains to ensure the connection for the travelers, the Bahn said further.
The Bahn is also in close exchange with the city of Baden-Baden, it was said. Especially in regional rail replacement traffic, the city will continue to support. On Tuesday, at least three buses of the Stadtwerke were in operation again, a spokeswoman said. This is to continue as needed in the coming days.
Construction work until end of August
The Rhine Valley railway line between Baden-Baden and Rastatt has been closed since last Friday. Until August 30, construction work will take place on the line as part of the billion-euro expansion of the Rhine Valley railway. Among other things, the southern end of the tunnel in Rastatt will be connected to the rail network. According to Bahn information, work is also being done on switches, signal boxes, and signaling systems.
The Bahn recommends travelers to use the travel information on www.bahn.de and to check the DB Navigator app. It has deliberately scheduled the work during the low-peak holiday period in Baden-Württemberg. "The alternative to the three-week closure would have been around 50 individual closures, for example, almost every weekend for a year," it was said.
Other buses were also brought in to assist with the rail replacement service, courtesy of other towns or transportation companies. The German Red Cross's involvement in providing water for passengers and offering aid was also crucial during this period.
