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Big plans: These S-Bahn routes in central Germany are to go into operation in 2035
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Leipzig / Magdeburg / Erfurt – Three central German federal states, thousands of commuters, around half a billion euros and big plans: by 2035, the S-Bahn routes between Leipzig and Merseburg and Gera are to be expanded.
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The railway lines between Leipzig and Merseburg as well as Leipzig and Gera are to be expanded by 2035. (Symbol picture) © Jan Woitas / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
The expansion of the central German S-Bahn network should take around 14 years. According to the Thuringian Ministry of Transport, according to Deutsche Bahn, technical planning will begin in 2022 and construction will begin in 2031.
Commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2035, the Ministry informed the German Press Agency upon request. The DB operate the infrastructure and implement the future route expansion with electrification, it said.
Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia announced at the beginning of June that they would implement the cross-border S-Bahn lines Leipzig – Pegau – Zeitz – Gera and Leipzig – Merseburg.
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Almost half a billion euros are expected to flow into the expansion of the route in the coming years. The expansion of the Leipzig – Gera connection is estimated at a total cost of 342 million euros. For the Leipzig – Merseburg connection it is 130 million euros.
Financing is provided through funds from the Coal Regions Investment Act.
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Cities should be made more attractive for commuters
Thousands of commuters are out and about in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia every day. (Symbol picture) © Jan Woitas / dpa
According to the DB, the line between Leipzig and Gera should be fully electrified and partly double-track, according to the Thuringian Ministry. There is also an electronic signal box in Zeitz and additional connections. New stops could be built in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
The city of Zeitz in Saxony-Anhalt is located between Leipzig in Saxony and Gera in Thuringia and is the seat of the lignite miner Mibrag, one of the largest employers in the region.
In order to make Zeitz attractive for new settlements and commuters, the state needs a fast train connection.
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Thuringia is relying on electrification of the route, the ministry said about the project, which is estimated at 342 million euros. The use of hydrogen trains, as discussed in the meantime, would therefore not be expedient.
Alternating regional express and regional train journeys are planned on the route. In this way, all stops could be served, but fast connections between the centers could also be offered.
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Several thousand people use trains between Leipzig and Gera
Regional express and regional trains are already running on many routes, but the S-Bahn will soon also be running here. (Symbol picture) © Hendrik Schmidt / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
The trains on the Leipzig – Gera route used an average of around 3,000 people from Monday to Friday in 2019. Regional express and regional rail trains currently run every two hours on the route.
According to the Saxon Ministry of Transport, the S-Bahn connection between Leipzig and Merseburg is an independent infrastructure project between Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. “According to the route shares, 49 percent of the project is in Saxony and 51 percent in Saxony-Anhalt.”
In the future, the railways are expected to travel up to 160 kilometers per hour. It remained open whether the Leipzig city tunnel is part of the planning. The tunnel is used by most lines of the S-Bahn Central Germany.
According to the Saxon ministry, the 2035 target is a “rough schedule”. Construction work between Leipzig-Plagwitz and Zeitz should be at the beginning of the project.
Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt pushed for implementation by 2024.
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Cover photo: Hendrik Schmidt / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
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