Important German route renovated Will the ICE finally get to Basel on time?
Transport Minister Volker Wissing and Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG, press the symbolic start button for the resumption of rail traffic on the Rieddbahn.
Image: KEYSTONE/DPA/Andreas Arnold
After five months of construction, the Riedbahn between Mannheim and Frankfurt is once again open to freight and passenger trains. During the general renovation, the almost 200-metre-long special machine RPM-RS-900, known as "Katharina the Great", was used.
Image: Arne Dedert/dpa
Almost everything was rebuilt, like here at Gross-Gerau Dornberg station.
Image: IMAGO/Marc Schüler
Now the Riedbahn has even reopened a day earlier than planned.
Image: dpa
The general refurbishment of the Riedbahn marks the beginning of a massive refurbishment program of the German rail infrastructure.
Image: Andreas Arnold/dpa
The line between Mannheim and Frankfurt was closed for 5 months from July 15.
Image: IMAGO/Daniel Kubirski
Transport Minister Wissing and Railway Board Member Lutz see a gigantic achievement.
Image: dpa
Transport Minister Volker Wissing and Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG, press the symbolic start button for the resumption of rail traffic on the Rieddbahn.
Image: KEYSTONE/DPA/Andreas Arnold
After five months of construction, the Riedbahn between Mannheim and Frankfurt is once again open to freight and passenger trains. During the general renovation, the almost 200-metre-long special machine RPM-RS-900, known as "Katharina the Great", was used.
Image: Arne Dedert/dpa
Almost everything was rebuilt, like here at Gross-Gerau Dornberg station.
Image: IMAGO/Marc Schüler
Now the Riedbahn has even reopened a day earlier than planned.
Image: dpa
The general refurbishment of the Riedbahn marks the beginning of a massive refurbishment program of the German rail infrastructure.
Image: Andreas Arnold/dpa
The line between Mannheim and Frankfurt was closed for 5 months from July 15.
Image: IMAGO/Daniel Kubirski
Transport Minister Wissing and Railway Board Member Lutz see a gigantic achievement.
Image: dpa
Deutsche Bahn has spent five months practically rebuilding an important route. Delays there had an impact as far as Switzerland - SBB stopped many trains from entering the country.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The railroad line from Frankfurt am Main to Mannheim was reopened after a general overhaul and five months of full closure.
- The importance of the line for rail traffic in Germany and beyond is immense. Delays and disruptions there have an impact on the entire network.
- The refurbishment marks the beginning of numerous other general refurbishments. Deutsche Bahn plans to comprehensively modernize a total of 41 lines in the coming years.
After five months of construction, the general refurbishment of the important "Riedbahn" route between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim has officially been completed. "The reliability of the Riedbahn will also make the entire rail system safer again," said German Transport Minister Volker Wissing at the opening ceremony in Gernsheim in southern Hesse. He was referring to the unpunctuality of many trains in recent years.
Delays on the Riedbahn often affect the entire rail network. This is because around 360 trains travel over this section every day, including ICE trains from Switzerland and Stuttgart to Cologne, Hamburg and Berlin - and in the opposite direction. In consultation with Deutsche Bahn, SBB has refused to allow many unpunctual trains on the Hamburg-Basel line, for example, to cross into Switzerland.
Trains run earlier
Just in time for the timetable change, the line is to be opened a little earlier than planned on Saturday evening. Train cancellations on parts of the route, which were initially planned until January, are now to be lifted on Christmas Eve.
From Sunday, 95 percent of long-distance and regional customers will be able to use the Riedbahn trains again. It cannot be ruled out that there will still be some jolting in the coming days, said Berthold Huber, Member of the Executive Board for Infrastructure at Deutsche Bahn.
"The rail renovation concept is working. We are now on the way to a punctual and reliable railroad," said Wissing. The railroads must once again live up to their standards of punctuality and high capacity. Sustainable infrastructure financing at a very high level is needed. "We need an infrastructure fund."
20,000 long-distance trains diverted
"Many people questioned the concept of the general overhaul," said Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz. "We have achieved it." He described the Riedbahn as one of the most important routes and the "aorta" of the German rail network. During the construction work, around 20,000 long-distance trains had covered over 1.5 million kilometers on detour routes.
Wissing and Lutz paid tribute to the gigantic construction work, which was completed on schedule. "You have achieved a great feat," said Wissing, addressing all those involved. They had worked around the clock in the heat, cold and constant rain. According to Lutz, the team managed a huge construction volume. "The experience gained will now flow into other general renovations." As a thank you, there will also be a regional express with the inscription "Thank you #Riedteam" in future.
1.2 billion francs for one line
The general renovation has so far cost 1.3 billion euros (around 1.2 billion Swiss francs). Following the example of the Riedbahn, dozens of other busy routes will have to be extensively modernized in the coming years, which in turn will entail months of full closures.
The construction companies have renewed a total of 111 kilometers of track, 152 points, 619 signals, 15 kilometers of noise barriers, 130 kilometers of overhead lines, 383 catenary masts and eight platforms. In addition, 20 stations along the line were renovated. Commuters and travelers were transported by bus in a replacement service.
Wissing and Lutz officially opened the line with a symbolic act. After a red buzzer was pressed, train horns sounded.
With material from dpa.
