Rhine-Neckar S-Bahn

The S- Bahn Rhein Neckar forms the backbone of rail transport in the Rhine -Neckar. Center of the S-Bahn system is the conurbation around the cities of Mannheim, Heidelberg and Ludwigshafen am Rhein. Traffic is currently operated by DB Regio subsidiary Rhein Neckar and is fully integrated into transport networks. Every year, put the trains around 7.5 million kilometers on a 370 -kilometer route network in the states of Rhineland -Palatinate, Baden- Württemberg, Hesse and Saarland back.

• 2.1 First stage
• 2.2 Extension to Germersheim
• 2.3 Extension to Homburg
• 2.4 Second stage
• 2.5 Heidelberg-Eppingen/Aglasterhausen
• 2.6 Extension of Germersheim to Bruchsal

• 3.1 Expansion of the Rhine Valley line
• 3.2 Mannheim- Schwetzingen -Graben -Neudorf -Karlsruhe
• 3.3 Mainz- Worms- Ludwigshafen- Frankenthal - Mannheim
• 3.4 Mannheim- Biblis wholesale Rohrsheim
• 3.5 Mannheim -Weinheim - Bensheim
• 3.6 Planned operational concept
• 3.7 Visions of the Future 3.7.1 Reactivation Homburg -Zweibrücken
• 3.7.2 Connection Ramstein Air Base
• 3.7.3 Flomersheimer curve: Green City Ludwigshafen
• 3.7.4 S-Bahn closing the gap on the Riedbahn

Lines and operating

The line network of S- Bahn Rhein Neckar has approximately 370 kilometers of the largest S-Bahn networks in Germany. The core area is located in the states of Rhineland -Palatinate and Baden- Württemberg. With Homburg it touches the Saarland and the reachable by train from Baden only part of Hesse to Neckarsteinach and Hirschhorn. Four of the seven lines operate bundled in section Schiffer city -Ludwigshafen -Mannheim -Heidelberg. Beyond this main line trains travel the line six branches with endpoints Homburg ( Saar), Osterburken, Karlsruhe, Germersheim, Bruchsal, Epping and Aglasterhausen.

The orbits of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar operate weekdays in a 30 - or 60-minute basic clock. The vehicles of the 425 series are equipped with a toilet and a compared to the series 423 fewer entry doors. They have a floor height of 780 mm. The S -Bahn uses common routes to the rest of regional rail and long-distance traffic as well as freight transport. The lines go in the fixed cycle, the stations are expanded continuously accessible.

Line network

Timetable concept

All seven lines of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar run in a 60-minute basic clock. Due largely overlapping alignments arises in the core area half hourly clock supply. At the joint main line of the four federal state border lines between Schiffer city and Heidelberg hour drive four commuter trains. Due to coordination problems still not a pure 15 -minute intervals can be realized, especially since a lot of trains from other lines merged, especially in the off-peak times before the common trunk line and then winged back or by pulling members of the line S 5/51, which is actually in Heidelberg ends without the main route to pass through, to be strengthened or weakened. Furthermore run between Schiffer city and Ludwigshafen by the S -Bahn regional trains of Deutsche Bahn AG (DB). In addition, the stations Ludwigshafen- Rheingönheim and Ludwigshafen -Mundenheim are not approached by the lines S1 and S3 as a rule, the line S1 ( occasionally also the line S3) usually passes through the stations Mannheim ARENA / May Market and Mannheim -Seckenheim. Saturday afternoons and Sundays, the S2 line of Kaiserslautern coming already ends in Heidelberg and wrong then usually beyond line S5 to Epping; the S4 line runs on weekends only between Germersheim and Mannheim and comes - even under a week - usually as line S 33 from Bruchsal.

Although the lines run partly by 5:00 bis 1:30 clock clock, the control cycle is observed only between about 8:00 clock to 21:00 clock. In the off-peak times, the lines run, however, demand-driven outside the cycle times, sometimes going even sections of various lines encircling moderate overlap.

Tariff provisions

The lines S 1 and S 2 are on the entire route within the transport association Rhein- Neckar ( VRN). The line S 5 is to the stop series completely within the VRN. The last three stops ( Ittlingen, plantains ( b Epping ) and Epping ) are in the transition region of Heilbronn - Hohenlohe -Haller transport GmbH ( HNV ). While VRN- tickets the price level 7 ( whole network) are basically for these honeycomb ( No. 217 ) valid time restrictions are intended primarily for time cards in the training market.

The lines S 3 and S 4 are between Germersheim and Bad Schönborn South within the transport association Rhein- Neckar, time cardholders are offered transitional tickets for onward journey to Bruchsal and Karlsruhe. Between Bad Schönborn- Kronau and Karlsruhe, the tariff of the Karlsruhe Transport Association applies (CDV ). On the line S 33 applies in the section Germersheim - Huttenheim a transitional tariff KVV, the section Hutten Home Bruchsal is located exclusively in the area of the KVV - tariff.

Tickets must be basically solved before departure. It is located on all trains a ticket machine, its use is only allowed if the machine was defective at the boarding station. For cancellation of VRN- or CDV - ticket validators are available.

It should be mentioned that there is no way in Homburg (Saar ) Hbf and KVV area south of Bad Schönborn, to purchase tickets the VRN. So there is no possibility to use the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar to VRN tariff. Only the much more expensive rail fare is offered. Between high Speyer and Homburg also applies the transitional tariff eastern Saarland. There are in this tariff also day and group day tickets. The transition tariff eastern Saarland also applies throughout the county Southwest Palatinate.

In Baden- Württemberg the RegioTicket Baden-Württemberg allowed the bridging of two transport associations in DB trains. The distance could not exceed 50 km in each direction. It was necessary for a person to round- trip ticket on the same day. The ticket is no longer offered since 2011 due to low demand.

History

As a penultimate larger conurbation in Germany, the Rhine -Neckar area on December 14, 2003 received the regular contemporary new timetable 2003/2004 S -Bahn system - the planning took due to the coordination between the states of Baden -Württemberg, Hesse and Rhineland -Palatinate decades.

Following a Europe- wide tender the operation of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar was awarded for twelve years 2015 to DB Regio. The application of the grouping of DB Regio, together with the transport companies of the cities of Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen and Mannheim had to be withdrawn shortly before the Closing Date relating to antitrust concerns, as all of these urban transport companies already held shares in the regional bus company bus Rhein- Neckar ( BRN), a subsidiary of DB Regio and its scheduled runs in an area that is almost identical to that of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar. Also, the 2004/ 05 consummated merger of the said urban transport company for the Rhine-Neckar transport was ( RNV ) is already in preparation. This would make the entire transport of the region in the hands of RNV and two mitkontrollierten by him, namely BRN and grouping S -Bahn been. Commandments also had the Euro train, but stepped down after tendering problems, and a consortium of trans- regional and Connex.

First stage

Prior to the lines and stations for the S -Bahn were prepared from 2001. The investment volume amounted alone for construction work on 260 million euros. Plus another 190 million euros for the purchase of new vehicles.

In addition to the much-needed increase in capacity for the additional bridge over the Rhine between Mannheim and Ludwigshafen was for long distance service a new route to bypass the station Schiffer city. Also the Ludwigshafen (Rhein) Mitte Bahnhof Berliner Platz was built from scratch. For the maintenance of the trains, a new S-Bahn workshop was built on the site of the Ludwigshafen main railway station also.

At the stations and stops along the routes, special emphasis was placed on a largely uniform equipment. The platforms were raised to 76 inches and were made ​​wheelchair-accessible, in part, by lifts. They also received new platform features such as bus shelters and benches.

Only the platforms of the breakpoints Mannheim- Seckenheim, Mannheim marshalling yard, Ludwigshafen- Mundenheim Ludwigshafen- Rheingönheim were provisionally provided with increases of wooden planks, as had been there, not yet finally decided on the track infrastructure and the future location of the platforms. The final expansion of the two Ludwigshafen stations Mundenheim Rheingönheim ( reconstruction of the middle station platform and task of building the platform ) began after several delays in May 2008. 2010 then the extension from 2 to 3 tracks between the bypass Schiffer city and Ludwigshafen- Rheingönheim was also the construction started.

In Mannheim, Friedrich - field south of the access from the south via the disused tracks of the freight line was created and this filled this decommissioned and.

Extension to Germersheim

With the extension of the line Mannheim -Speyer up to Germersheim end of 2006 the first stage of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar was completed. For this purpose, the section was electrified at three stations were remodeling instead. In Germersheim was founded in December 2010 following the lines S51 and S52 of the Stadtbahn Karlsruhe in the direction Wörth (Rhein) and Karlsruhe ( downtown).

The construction of a new breakpoint Speyer South is provided in the course of the further planning of the second phase of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar by the end of 2017. The further extension beyond Graben-Neudorf to Bruchsal happened only in the second phase of expansion.

Extension to Homburg

In preparation for the Soccer World Cup 2006 also an extension of the line Mannheim- Kaiserslautern ( railway line Mannheim- Saarbrücken) up to Homburg was taken as an urgent measure in attack. As work on time but were not completed for the Football World Cup, scheduled for commissioning contemporary timetable change 2006/2007 in December 2006 was performed. However, only the S 1 moves up to Homburg, the S 2 ends as usual in Kaiserslautern.

Second stage

For the S - Bahn Rhein Neckar a second stage was intended from the outset to integrate not previously served by cities and regions in the S- Bahn network. Has been captured in implementing program 2010 schedule, which provided for the further expansion in the years 2008 to 2010, but was back in 2006 rejected again. Reasons for this lie in the reduction of regionalization funds in the wake of the so-called Koch-Steinbrück paper as well as in the drag required for the increase in capacity in the north of the region infrastructure, in particular the new route Frankfurt- Mannheim. The planning itself are preserved, a conversion has been announced now for the years 2010 to 2015.

Heidelberg-Eppingen/Aglasterhausen

Since December 2009, runs the new line S 5 from Heidelberg Hbf about the Neckar and Elsenztalbahn to Sinsheim or hourly further over the train track Steinsfurt - Eppingen to Epping, where the two Heidelberg breakpoints Schlierbach / Ziegelhausen and orthopedics while approached only isolated from scheduled technical reasons be. In June 2010, the line S 51, which branches in Meckenheim on the Badische Schwarzbach Valley Railway and hourly leads to Aglasterhausen followed. The two breakpoints Heidelberg Schlierbach / Ziegelhausen and orthopedics are likewise approached only isolated from scheduled technical reasons.

In Epping is following the line S 4 of the Stadtbahn Karlsruhe and Heilbronn Stadtbahn. As of December 2014, also made ​​with the planned integration of the eastern Elsenztalbahn in the northern branch of the light rail connection to Heilbronn Heilbronn in Sinsheim.

Extension from Germersheim to Bruchsal

The second stage included the integration of Bruhrainbahn of Germersheim on Graben-Neudorf to Bruchsal in the S- Bahn network. This track was added to the timetable change 2011/2012 on December 11, 2011 in the S- Bahn network and is traversed in the extension of the line S 3, but renamed in this section as S 33 in order to avoid the inevitable confusion when in Bruchsal trains on the S 3 is wrong in three different directions.

For this purpose, modernization and electrification between Graben-Neudorf and Germersheim were necessary. In addition, the three new breakpoints Germersheim center / Rhein, Bruchsal Bruchsal were built on the jacket and sports center. The upgrading of the line began in early July 2010 and lasted 17 months. The total cost of the infrastructure project amounted to approximately 31.7 million euros. Again, all the stations were equipped for disabled people and wheelchair accessible. The only exception to the breakpoint Bruchsal must make do on the mantle part of the year 2012 without ramps and lifts.

Further plans

The second stage of construction yet include other projects that will be implemented gradually by the end of 2017.

Expansion of the Rhine Valley line

Due to the high utilization on the Rhine Valley line in the section Bruchsal -Heidelberg is planned, from 140 to extend the platforms to 210 meters, so that long trains can be used from three train parts. This is especially so necessary as a result of clockface higher joint use of the Rhine Valley line is not removed after short-, long - and freight trains of the DB realize.

Mannheim- Schwetzingen -Graben -Neudorf -Karlsruhe

The right bank line Mannheim- Schwetzingen - Hockenheim - Waghaeusel - Graben-Neudorf -Karlsruhe ( Rheinbahn ) should connect as a new line S 3, S- Bahn networks in Rhein Neckar and Karlsruhe together. New tram stops are built in Hirschacker and Schwetzingen North, an additional breakpoint Graben-Neudorf South, however, is scheduled for the time being technically not feasible.

In a bypass solution of the new line Rhein / Main Rhein / Neckar with a new Intercity Express Station at Mannheim- Seckenheim a rescheduling this Streckenastes would be required to set up at the Intercity Express Station a transport nodes.

Mainz- Worms- Ludwigshafen- Frankenthal - Mannheim

The line Mainz -Ludwigshafen is integrated as part of the new line S 5 in the S -Bahn system. The tender currently provides a through connection of Streckenastes from Mannheim Hbf via Weinheim to Bensheim. Since the beginning of 2006, the regional train connection Mainz- Worms- Ludwigshafen- Frankenthal - Mannheim ( -Weinheim - Bensheim ) is in forward mode with adapted S -Bahn trains of the DB Class 425

In addition to the S-Bahn equitable conversion of the existing stations, the construction of two new breakpoints in Dienheim and Frankenthal South is provided. In Mainz, Roman Theatre, Ludwigshafen- Oggersheim and Mette home and floor home construction began in 2012 and 2013, ten more stations will follow in the years 2014 and 2015. The station of Mette home was completed in September 2013. The between scheduled establishment of further holding in Roxheim and Worms South was not pursued by the affected communities.

Mannheim- Biblis wholesale Rohrsheim

On the Hessian page also Riedbahn between Mannheim and wholesale Rohrsheim to be integrated into the network of S- Bahn Rhein Neckar in December 2017. Originally planned only to Biblis, the circle mountain road could enforce the extension to the collective boundary between the transport association Rhein- Neckar ( VRN) and the Rhine- Main Transport Association ( RMV) to Great - pipe home.

Mannheim -Weinheim - Bensheim

The same applies to the Main- Neckar line Mannheim -Weinheim - Bensheim. New breakpoints are planned in Bensheim South as well as in Neckarhausen, is considered a breakpoint in Pfungstadt South. However, the desired breakpoints in Weinheim Weinheim and South -Sulzbach can be realized due to the route for the time being not overload.

Planned operational concept

Riedbahn, Main- Neckar line and the line Mannheim -Heidelberg are due to the high burden of long-distance, regional and freight services at capacity. By bonds and cycle times of the S -Bahn must therefore depend on the routes to the few remaining paths, since the awaited relief through the planned new route Frankfurt -Mannheim has moved into the distance.

According to the tender originally planned - corner through binding of the two branches by Biblis and Bensheim in Mannheim was rejected, as was the Binding of Mainz Mannheim to Epping or Aglasterhausen. Prior considerations have already been provisioned to let this line between Mannheim and Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof main railway station operate as an express line without further maintenance.

The predetermined by the Tender operating concept provides instead that a through connection of Streckenastes of Mainz Worms and Mannheim to Bensheim. The Riedbahn route from Great Rohrsheim however, is to end at the Mannheim Main Station.

Visions of the Future

Reactivation Homburg -Zweibrücken

On May 7, 2012, approximately 11 kilometer long railway celebrated its 155 anniversary. In the framework of the "Association for the promotion of rail transport in and around Zweibrücken eV " provided, inter alia, Trolley rides between the breakpoints Schwarzenacker and Homburg Beeden to. The association described this action as a " final sprint to the subway extension ". As part of the re-tendering of the Rheinland -Pfalz- clock 2015, it is planned, the S -Bahn line S1, which currently ends in Homburg (Saar ) Hbf to extend by two bridges. In addition, talking to bind the Zweibrücken airport to the S - Bahn network on the currently disused Hornbach Valley Railway and a partially newly built road section.

So far, the attempt to reactivate the railway line Homburg -Zweibrücken has failed at Saarland. After a cost-benefit analysis from the year 2006, the total investment cost would amount to around 11.4 million euros and operating costs due to the long stay of 30 to 50 minutes to only about 900,000 euros.

Of the two German states of Saarland and Rhineland -Palatinate 2010, a preliminary design was commissioned, which should show the current cost of a route and reactivation of a roadway support. In September 2013, this was handed over to the relevant ministries of the federal government and the country and presented to the public in December 2013. This includes explicitly all measures and cost items identified that are necessary for re- commissioning of the track. The preliminary design cost the two states around 700,000 euros and calls for a realization of the project costs from 21.7 to 25.7 million euros. The reactions to the studies fall by the population and the dedicated Zweibrücker association consistently positive. It follows now until the spring of 2014 a new cost-benefit analysis ( NKU ), which is intended to represent profitability. It is expected that the factor is well above 1.0.

Reactivation would benefit both the economically underdeveloped western Palatinate and the Saarland located on site since May 2009, recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve Bliesgau. In 2012 it even became a " destination nature" of the Deutsche Bahn. In addition, reactivation would connect the city two bridges from the long-distance and local traffic better. The journey with the train would of Homburg by two bridges in 10 minutes instead of by bus in 30 minutes possible. The majority of the section of line to be reactivated in runs saarländischem area. These are about seven kilometers to reactivate and to electrify three kilometers are part of the existing Schwarzbach Valley Railway and only to electrify. The state government of Saarland would have a majority of the costs of delivery. Rhineland -Palatinate has called for a partial reimbursement of the Saarland share. Approval to implement the railway project also comes from a broad section of the population of the Saar Palatinate - circle of local politicians and the Traffic Club Germany (VCD), National Association Saar.

Beginning of 2008 and again in spring 2012 were carried out by a Zweibrücker club on the entire route free cutting.

Connection Ramstein Air Base

The aim is also a direct connection to the Ramstein Air Base on a defunct railway siding of Kaiserslautern Einsiedlerhof.

Flomersheimer curve: Green City Ludwigshafen

In 2002, the integration of the northern district Bad Durkheim was discussed in the S- Bahn network. The construction of the so-called Flomersheimer curve south of Frankenthal would create the possibility of a direct through binding of green city and Freinsheim to Ludwigshafen / Mannheim or the BASF factory premises without the current direction changes on Frankenthaler Central Station. Cost reasons and the local resistance of Frankenthaler page meant, however, that the recorded already in the National Development Plan project was shelved.

S-Bahn closing the gap on the Riedbahn

So far unresolved is the question of space closure between the S- train routes on the Riedbahn. The Frankfurt S -Bahn line S7 leads only to Ried City Goddelau. The medium term goal is to connect the S-Bahn gap to large - pipe home that is currently under bridged by an hourly free Regional Express.

As possible solutions were discussed:

• Extension of the Frankfurt S7 until after Biblis or Worms Hbf, where access to the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar.
• Extension of the Frankfurt S7 and the S-Bahn Rhein Neckar to a common connection point in Gernsheim.
• Extension of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar to a common connection point in Ried City Goddelau.
• Extension of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar to Great Gerau Dornsberg, with possible continuation of case- Gerau or Darmstadt.
• Takeover of the entire S- Bahn service on the Riedbahn by the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar.

Further studies on cross-linking of the two S- Bahn systems by a coordinated development are still pending. Specifically, it was decided to date only, the station wholesale Rohrsheim, which is according to current plans, the new terminus of the S- Bahn Rhein Neckar on the Riedbahn distance to involve in any event in the modernization measures.

List of names of railcars

Been a city sponsorship was completed for the following vehicles: