Train Track System - To draw in more travelers, regional trains will offer hourly service now.
Lower Saxony is working to entice more passengers to ride regional and S-Bahn trains by expanding routes and increasing train frequency. "Our aim is to create a transport system so appealing that many more people will choose to travel this way," said Transport Minister Olaf Lies (SPD), unveiling the "SPNV Strategy 2040" in Hanover. The target is to double the number of yearly passengers by 2040, from the current 120 million, to 240 million.
"By 2040, almost all fast regional trains and S-Bahn lines will operate throughout the day, with trains arriving every 30 minutes," explained Carmen Schwabl, CEO of the Lower Saxony State Railways. Higher frequency services are also planned for popular routes to Hamburg and Bremen, with departures as frequent as every 15 or 20 minutes during peak hours. Schwabl said, "There's considerable demand for more passengers on these lines." Initially, the frequency will increase by 25% by 2030, and then by 50% by 2040.
Additionally, some routes will be extended. For example, the Regional Express line from Bremen to Hannover will be extended to Braunschweig starting from 2030. By 2040, there should also be a direct connection from Hannover to Cuxhaven.
"Lower Saxony is willing to invest more money in more trains and trips to ensure the turnaround in transport is successful," said Lies. In the next two decades, more and longer trains will be used for local transportation. However, he emphasized, "More trains can only operate if the federal government offers more tracks and stations with more platforms." To achieve this, extra investments are required. Lies projects the additional financial need for Lower Saxony at approximately 350 million euros per year. He is engaged in negotiations with the federal government regarding this. "Here, we must collaborate with the federal government to find mutually beneficial solutions."
Click the interactive map of the "SPNV Strategy 2040" to learn more about the specific routes https://www.niedersachsen.de/verkehr/spnv-strategie-2040
