By Robert Becker
The 3rd Advent makes everything new – at least at Deutsche Bahn.
Because: The new train timetable will apply from Sunday. For travelers this means: new and faster connections, new trains and more seats, at least on some routes. But for that, passengers have to dig deeper into their pockets, and ticket prices are increasing noticeably.
BILD gives an overview: What is changing at Deutsche Bahn, what is new and how expensive it will be.
New Connections
Some new connections are planned in the new train timetable – including at night.
︎ Among other things, a new direct ICE connection from Hamburg to Frankfurt Airport is planned: the Basel-Cologne-Dortmund line will be extended via Frankfurt to Hamburg.
▶︎ There is also a new night train from Berlin to Zurich. This also stops in Erfurt, Halle and Leipzig.
▶︎ New stops will be added to the existing night train line from Hamburg to Zurich, the train will then also stop in Bruchsal and Heidelberg.
▶︎ The night train from Munich to Budapest starts in Stuttgart. It travels via Vienna (Austria), Venice (Italy), Zagreb and – depending on the date – Rijeka (both Croatia).
︎ In addition, a new night train with sleeping and couchette cars will be on its way from Freiburg via Offenburg, Karlsruhe and Mannheim to Halle, Leipzig, Dresden, Bad Schandau and Prague.
Faster travel
According to Deutsche Bahn, a new high-speed route will shorten the travel time between Stuttgart and Munich by around 15 minutes. Connections from North Rhine-Westphalia to Bavaria also benefit from this.
In terms of international connections, the company highlights a reduction in travel time between Berlin and Warsaw of around ten minutes.
New Trains
▶︎ The new ICE 3neo is launched. In future it will run between Dortmund, Cologne and Munich and on Saturdays on the new high-speed route between Ulm and Wendlingen.
▶︎ There are also new XXL ICE 4 trains.
︎ In 2023, there will be so many ICE trains running “like never before,” Deutsche Bahn said. And that logically also means: more seats. A total of 19,000 seats will be added in long-distance traffic.
price increases
But all the good news doesn’t come without bad news: It’s getting more expensive
▶︎ Deutsche Bahn is increasing long-distance prices by an average of 4.9 percent. The flex tickets alone will be 6.9 percent more expensive on average.
▶︎ The Bahncards 25, 50 and 100 and the route season tickets cost an average of 4.9 percent more.
The entry-level prices remain the same for the super saver price (from 17.90 euros) and the saver price (21.90 euros). Seat reservations also continue to cost EUR 4.50 in second class and EUR 5.90 in first class.
Construction site restrictions
In December, minor construction sites are already affecting rail traffic on six routes, for example between Cologne and Mainz, Frankfurt and Mannheim and Giessen and Wetzlar.
So far, ten major construction sites are planned for next year! These necessitate closures and diversions for at least several weeks.
▶︎ By the end of March, new tracks will be laid between Erfurt and Nuremberg and bridges renewed.
︎ From March, the Rostock-Stralsund route will be completely closed in sections.
︎ The high-speed line between Kassel and Fulda is being renovated – probably for eight months.