Railroad - Full rail closure between Frankfurt and Mannheim
Starting from next Monday, 15th July, the well-traveled railway line between Frankfurt and Mannheim will be fully closed for construction works. For approximately five months, around 70 kilometers of tracks, overhead power lines, signals, switches, bridges, and train stations will be modernized. This marks the beginning of the first nationwide general renovation of a section on the so-called Riedbahn. The German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) anticipate long-term benefits from this, aiming for a disruption-free traffic.
Passengers will have to adjust to significant restrictions in the coming five months, particularly in the Regional trains that usually operate on the Riedbahn, which will be completely replaced with buses. Normally, around 16,000 passengers travel daily along the Riedbahn in Regional trains.
Long-distance and freight traffic will be rerouted over parallel tracks, leading to restrictions in the Regional traffic as well. Longer trains or buses are in use.
The closure affects not only Hessen and Baden-Württemberg but also Rheinland-Pfalz, as one of the rerouting tracks is the connection between Mainz-Worms-Ludwigshafen. Approximately 150 buses are in operation, with over 1,000 trips planned daily.
New buses have been acquired
The railway company has procured new buses, which can be easily identified by their distinct pink color and equipped with modern passenger information systems. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) promised a "deluxe rail replacement service," with buses featuring Wi-Fi and toilets.
About 400 drivers and driveresses were recruited from within and outside the country. They underwent German language courses and test drives to ensure a seamless replacement service. The bus stops will also be easily recognizable, the railway announced.
Passengers in long-distance trains will have to adjust to journeys approximately 30 minutes longer, one-third of the train services will be canceled, and some stops will not be served. All changes have been integrated into the train schedule and are accessible via the German Railways app.
Consideration for the European Football Championship
There are typically more than 300 long-distance, commuter, and freight trains in motion on the Riedbahn daily, making it one of the busiest sections nationwide. Delays on this line due to technical issues can have consequences for the entire railway network in Germany. Federal Transport Minister Wissing referred to it as the "greatest concern in the rail network," which is why it is being tackled first. In fact, there is usually at least one or more disruptions daily. The closure's start date, from 15th July, was chosen with consideration for the European Football Championship.
The concept of the general renovation requires billions of investments. For the Riedbahn, approximately 1.3 billion Euros are planned. The railway aims to modernize 40 highly trafficked corridors by 2030. Next year, the sections Hamburg–Berlin and Emmerich–Oberhausen are scheduled for renovation.
- The construction works on the Frankfurt-Mannheim railroad line will significantly impact Volker Wissing, as a passenger traveling from Hesse might need to use buses provided by German Railways during the full closure.
- The General refurbishment of the Riedbahn railroad line, starting from Frankfurt, involves the modernization of elements such as tracks, overhead power lines, and train stations, extending to neighboring states like Baden-Württemberg.
- Unlike long-distance and freight trains, which will be rerouted, passengers using Regional trains on the Riedbahn will face a change to buses, originating in Frankfurt and extending up to Mannheim, causing a Full closure of the railroad line for about five months.
- In response to the Frankfurt-Mannheim railroad closure, German Railways has acquired new buses from their fleet, prominently marked by a pink color and equipped with modern passenger information systems, ensuring a Disruption-free service in the absence of regular trains.
- Civil engineers and technicians from Baden-Württemberg will work alongside their Hesse counterparts for the general refurbishment of the Frankfurt-Mannheim railroad line, leading towards a safer and more efficient Railroad line, benefiting both local residents and passengers traveling long distances.
