🚂 Prepare for Railway Renovations in Southwest Germany in 2024 🚂
For passengers in Baden-Württemberg, the upcoming year will see a few major rail construction sites. The Riedbahn requires renovation, the Gäubahn obstacle course continues, and Stuttgart's digital hub expansion will cause significant disruptions. Here's an overview of the most noteworthy projects coming up:
Gäubahn
Work on the Gäubahn between Stuttgart and Singen has been ongoing since the start of the year. From January 8 to March's end, expect major disruptions as the Gäubahn section between Horb and Neckarhausen is widened to accommodate two tracks. The following restrictions have been announced for the January 8 to February period:
- Long-distance services on the Stuttgart-Singen-Zurich IC line will be canceled between Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof and Oberndorf (Neckar); replacement buses will run between Böblingen and Oberndorf (Neckar) with stops at Horb and Sulz (Neckar).
- Deutsche Bahn will cancel regional trains on the RE14 line between Böblingen and Herrenberg, as well as between Eutingen im Gäu and Rottweil. Deutsche Bahn will provide buses for passengers between Böblingen and Herrenberg and between Eutingen im Gäu and Horb.
However, the S-Bahn will also be impacted due to the expansion. The Würm Viaduct will close the Ehningen to Gärtringen line for the entire period from January 8 to February 29, 2024. Trains will run at least every half hour on all remaining S-Bahn connections during this period.
Stuttgart S-Bahn
Summer vacation will provide little respite for S-Bahn users in Stuttgart. The mainline between Hauptbahnhof (deep) and Vaihingen will undergo closure for the fourth time, as announced by Deutsche Bahn. Modern control and safety technology installation is planned for the period from July 27 to September 7. Replacement buses will be running as usual. The line between Stuttgart Airport/Messe and Filderstadt will also be closed for the expansion of the Stuttgart digital hub.
Stuttgart region's ambition to become Germany's first digitized rail hub by 2025 necessitates these changes. Long-distance and regional trains, along with suburban trains, will utilize the digital train control system ETCS and digitized signal boxes. The digital system promises improved safety and capacity growth.
Rhine Valley Railway
Deutsche Bahn will expand the Rhine Valley Railway between Karlsruhe and Basel to four tracks during 2024. A three-week closure between Rastatt and Baden-Baden is planned for the project.
Riedbahn
The Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim is due for a comprehensive overhaul, affecting long-distance, regional, and freight traffic across Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate. Passengers should expect truncated train services, replacement buses, and delays.
The renovation phase will last three weeks, followed by a five-month closure from mid-year. The Frankfurt am Main - Mannheim railroad line will be closed from January 1 to 22 for extensive construction work. During the three-week closure in January, Deutsche Bahn will continue installing the new electronic interlocking system along the route. Foundations for new noise barriers, totaling over 15 kilometers, will also be laid. Almost 30 points and almost three kilometers of track will be renewed. Overhead line work will also be carried out in various sections.
References:
- Passengers in the Southwest of Baden-Württemberg should expect disruptions due to the expansion of the digital hub in Stuttgart, affecting long-distance, regional, and suburban trains.
- In addition to ongoing construction on the Gäubahn between Stuttgart and Singen, Herrenberg will see construction on the Railead line between Böblingen and Herrenberg and between Eutingen im Gäu and Rottweil.
- Stuttgart digital hub expansion requires closure of the S-Bahn line between Hauptbahnhof (deep) and Vaihingen during the summer vacation for modern control and safety technology installation.
- Deutsche Bahn is expanding the Rhine Valley Railway between Karlsruhe and Basel to four tracks, requiring a three-week closure between Rastatt and Baden-Baden in August 2024.
- The busy Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim is undergoing a general overhaul, affecting long-distance, regional, and freight traffic in three federal states, including Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, and Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Intercity and regional train services between Zurich, Neckar, and Böblingen may be affected by construction works on the Gäubahn between Stuttgart and Singen as announced by Deutsche Bahn, with cancellations and replacement bus services.
Enrichment Insights:
Further insights regarding the construction dates and the impacts of these projects are not provided in the sources cited. For precise information on these projects, consult specific sources or direct announcements from the relevant construction companies or authorities.
