Restrictions on train routes due to high sickness rates

Due to an unusually high number of sick notes, commuters on two train routes in the western Palatinate and eastern Saarland will have to prepare for massive restrictions from next week onwards. The regional trains between Saarbrücken, Zweibrücken and Pirmasens Hauptbahnhof (RB 68) and the...

, and Michael Bootcampf

2023 December 17 . 4:14 PM

2 min read

Tracks are laid in the ballast bed at a station. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Traffic - Restrictions on train routes due to high sickness rates

Due to an unusually high number of sick notes, commuters on two train routes in the western Palatinate and eastern Saarland will have to prepare for massive restrictions from next week onwards. The regional trains between Saarbrücken, Zweibrücken and Pirmasens Hauptbahnhof (RB 68) and the regional trains between Kaiserslautern and Kusel (RB 67) are affected, the Zweckverband ÖPNV Rheinland-Pfalz Süd announced on Sunday.

Train services on the affected connections will be significantly reduced or largely suspended from Monday (December 18) until probably Friday, December 22, in the afternoons. DB Regio is endeavoring to set up an emergency bus service, but due to the limited availability of the bus companies at the weekend, commitments are still pending.

Trains on the RB 68 line between Pirmasens and Saarbrücken are to be completely canceled from the afternoon. The last train in the direction of Zweibrücken and Saarbrücken will leave Pirmasens main station at 3.32 pm. The last train to Pirmasens will leave Saarbrücken at 15:07, the two trains leaving Saarbrücken at 16:24 and 17:07 will only run to Zweibrücken, after which rail services will be suspended until the morning.

From Kusel to Kaiserslautern, all trains in the Landstuhl - Kaiserslautern direction will run up to and including the 11.06 a.m. departure. After that, the service will be reduced to departures at 1.20 pm, 3.20 pm, 4.20 pm and 8.20 pm. From Kaiserslautern in the direction of Kusel, all trains will run up to and including the departure at 13.06 hrs, after which only the trains at 14.40 hrs, 16.40 hrs and 18.40 hrs will run. In the evening, there will be another service at 21:03 with changes in Landstuhl, arriving in Kusel at 22:06. In view of the trend towards increasing staff shortages, it is to be expected that this reduced service will initially have to run until Christmas.