Germany's "most important rail line" will be closed for months
From today, the railway line between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim will be completely closed for five months. This has significant restrictions in local and long-distance traffic. The railway is setting up the largest rail replacement service in its history. This affects travelers.
As an official partner of the European Football Championship, the German Railway aims to bring football fans punctually to the stadium - at least that's the promise. But the balance looks different: delays and train cancellations cause frustration for fans and teams. Now that the home European Championship is over, the real work for the railway begins. In fact, the end of the tournament marks the start of the most extensive renovation project in the company's history. The line between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim will be closed from today for five months. According to ntv.de, this megaproject means something for commuters and travelers.
What is a general renovation?
The railway infrastructure has been neglected for decades and is outdated and overloaded at many points. The Federal Government and the Railway have therefore decided, in the past year, to renovate the network with billions of euros. The main lines, unlike usual, will not be renovated during ongoing operation, but during prolonged full closures. "We can do much more, much faster and much more efficiently," said Bahnboard Berthold Huber to Deutschlandfunk. Renovation during ongoing operation would take five to eight years, instead of the now scheduled five months. "And if we were finished, we could have started all over again."
Which line is affected?
The line between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim is affected. "It is the most important line and, so to speak, the heart of the German railway network," Huber said. Approximately every five minutes, a train passes on the so-called Riedbahn. According to the Railway, there are more than 300 trains per day on this line in regional, long-distance and freight traffic. "Every seventh long-distance journey of the DB runs over the tracks between Frankfurt/Main and Mannheim. That's about 60,000 long-distance passengers per day." In regional traffic, there are therefore approximately 16,000 passengers per day. Any disruption on the line affects trains throughout the country. And there is at least one such disruption every day due to its poor condition, said Transport Minister Volker Wissing in early April to the Berliner Morgenpost.
What will be done?
With full closure and general renovation, the constant faults at individual points should come to an end. This means: 150 switches will be replaced, 20 railway stations will be modernized, and 15 kilometers of noise barriers will be built or renewed. In addition, there will be rails, 140 kilometers of overhead power lines, and 380,000 tons of gravel. Electronic signal boxes will be installed, 1200 elements of the signaling and safety technology will be newly built. The line will also be digitized.
What are the consequences for long-distance traffic?
In transportation, during the closure, approximately two-thirds of ICE- and IC-trains west and east of the Riedbahn through Mainz and Worms (Ludwigsbahn) or through Darmstadt and Heidelberg (Main-Neckar-Bahn) towards Mannheim are being rerouted. For passengers, this results in an additional 30 minutes of travel time. The remaining one-third of the trains either canceled or heading to other destinations. Since the bypass tracks cannot accommodate the entire traffic, the effects are far beyond the region, even affecting connections to Paris. The main train station at Frankfurt Airport can no longer be reached directly from Mannheim. Instead, buses from Mannheim will connect to Germany's most significant airport.
To what extent is local transportation affected?
All trains in local transportation will be canceled. This also applies to branches of the Riedbahn. Passengers must switch to replacement bus services. The railway has purchased 150 articulated and overland buses for this purpose. All vehicles, according to railway statements, are equipped with toilets, WLAN, and USB charging stations. Some buses will operate in a five-minute interval. Approximately 400 drivers and driveresses have been hired for this purpose, about half of whom are from abroad. Housing and German courses have been organized for them. This is the most extensive replacement bus service in the history of the German Railway.
What about freight transportation?
Freight transportation is being rerouted on a large scale via various tracks. These tracks were prepared before the railway closure. The German Railway Competitors Association, "The Freight Railways," is skeptical. They complain that the detours caused significant delays and increased costs, which will not be compensated. Given that the closure lasts for five months, there is a risk that cargo will not only be temporarily transferred to trucks but may remain there even after reopening.
What does the renovation mean for residents?
Until July 3, the railway had an InfoMobile on the move in the region, stopping at all stations along the Riedbahn. The railway claims to have contacted residents directly to inform them about the renovation program. In addition, an Info-Point Riedbahn was set up in a former shop in the Hessian Gernsheim, which will be open from July 16, 10 am to 4 pm, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
How much does the renovation cost?
Initially, 500 million Euro was mentioned, but the digitalization with the new control centers is also costly. The railway currently quotes a sum of 1.3 billion Euro, which is to be invested within the five months.
Does the railway run on time after the Riedbahn renovation?
At least that's the hope. With the renovations, the aging railway network in Germany is supposed to become more loadable and fault-free over time. However, the closures initially present a further test of patience for passengers and other railway customers.
Is there only large-scale renovation at the Bahn now?
No, construction work continues beyond this. Given the poor condition of the entire railway network, this is also necessary. Some construction work cannot be postponed until a general renovation is underway on the respective section.
What happens after the Riedbahn renovation?
If the track is fully renovated, there will be no major works for five to ten years. The disturbance level of the track will then be reduced by 80%. According to this model, dozens of other corridors will also be tackled. Next in line is approximately from August 2025 the section between Hamburg and Berlin. The initially announced closure time of roughly half a year per renovation cannot be met at this location. The track is currently scheduled to be closed until April 2026, which is nine months.
The Federal Ministry of Transport has given its support to this extensive renovation project, as it aims to improve the overall efficiency and reliability of German Railways' transport traffic. During this period, Volker Wissing, the Transport Minister, emphasized that international connections will also be affected as Germany is a transit country for several international rail routes.
