Germany (Niedersachsen and Bremen) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Introduction
This list is based on the timetable in force from 14 December 2014 until 12 December 2015, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.
In the heading to each entry the map reference for the line in the Schweers+Wall Eisenbahn Atlas (2007/2008 edition) is shown, in italic, in addition to the reference to M.G. Ball's European Railway Atlas.
Obscure services
Saline – Westen
[10007] (16A3, 9B3) DE15/151
This is a branch off the line from Westanleger to Wangerooge. Passenger trains run to/from Westen when required by pre-booked parties staying at the Youth Hostel or other accommodation there. During the summer season, excursions run between Wangerooge and Westen: see DB's Wangerooge website and search ("Suche") for "Westen" during the season.
Bremen-Sebaldsbrück – Bremen Hbf (via Abzw. Vahr)
[380] (16B1, not shown, 9C2-9B2) DE15/152
Trains from the Hannover line to platforms 1, 2 or 3 at Bremen Hbf may use this spur, which crosses from the north side of the line to the south side by passing under both the main Hannover line and the Osnabrück line. They may, alternatively, use crossovers at the approach to Bremen Hbf. The route via Abzw. Vahr has been used by RE trains from Hannover to Bremen and also by IC trains from Hannover to Oldenburg. Trains in the opposite direction normally use the flat junction at Hastedt but, if the departure signal at Bremen Hbf platforms 1, 2 or 3 shows speed restriction 4 (= 40 km/h), that may indicate use of this route. There is no passenger use of the connections between Bremen-Hemelingen and Bremen Hbf via Abzw. Vahr known to the compilers.
Bremen avoiding line: Sagehorn – Dreye (Abzw. Bremen-Gabelung)
[120, 385] (16B1, 9D1-9C3) DE15/153
Most trains between Hamburg and Osnabrück call at Bremen Hbf, but this route enables those that do not to avoid a lengthy detour.
FSSuX | ICE1094 | Hamburg-Altona – 06:12 Hamburg Hbf – Köln Hbf | |
SuX | HKX1806 | Hamburg-Altona – 08:02 Hamburg Harburg – Köln Hbf | |
FO | IC2401 | Hamburg-Altona – 11:22 Hamburg Harburg – Köln Hbf | |
SuO | HKX1802 | Hamburg-Altona – 12:02 Hamburg Harburg – Köln Hbf | |
FSuO | IC2403 | Hamburg-Altona – 13:04 Hamburg Hbf – Köln Hbf | |
E | SO | IC2405 | Stralsund – 15:12 Hamburg-Harburg – Köln Hbf |
FO | IC2407 | Flensburg – 15:04 Hamburg Hbf – Köln Hbf | |
SuO | IC2417 | Flensburg – 15:04 Hamburg Hbf – Köln Hbf | |
MTWX | HKX1804 | Hamburg-Altona – 17:01 Hamburg Harburg – Köln Hbf | |
FO | ICE1529 | Hamburg Hbf – 17:21 Hamburg Harburg – Düsseldorf Hbf | |
FSSuX | ICE1095 | Köln Hbf – 07:03 Essen Hbf – Hamburg-Altona | |
SuX | HKX1807 | Köln Hbf – 11:14 Osnabrück Hbf – Hamburg-Altona | |
SuO | HKX1803 | Köln Hbf – 14:14 Osnabrück Hbf – Hamburg-Altona | |
FO | IC2406 | Aachen Hbf/Köln Hbf – 17:26 Diepholz – Stralsund Hbf | |
SuX | HKX1809 | Köln Hbf – 17:14 Osnabrück Hbf – Hamburg-Altona | |
FO | IC2402 | Köln Hbf – 17:02 Essen Hbf – Hamburg-Altona | |
SuO | HKX1805 | Köln Hbf – 19:14 Osnabrück Hbf – Hamburg-Altona |
Kirchweyhe – Kirchweyhe BTE
(16B1 not shown, 20B4) DE15/154
This south to west curve provides the only usable connection between DB and the Bremen-Thedinghauser Eisenbahn. BTE runs a number of excursions each summer from Leeste to destinations on the DB network. See www.pingelheini.de.
Lüneburg Westseite {West station}
[110] (18A2, not shown, 22C3) DE15/155
This is a separate station, west of the main line, which is used by Hamburg local trains starting or terminating at Lüneburg between 08:00 and 23:00 daily. It is also used by all trains to and from Dannenberg Ost.
Uelzen W750 - Uelzen W23 (Veerßer Kurve)
[305] (18A1, 32C1; not shown in either) DE15/156
The Stendal - Salzwedel - Uelzen - Bremen line crosses under the Hannover - Hamburg main line just south of Uelzen and curves north to serve the west side of Uelzen station. A new direct curve (the Veerßer Kurve) from the Stendal line to the east side of Uelzen station, giving a non-conflicting connection towards Hamburg, was opened in November 2013.
Most trains between Stendal and Uelzen use the original line to and from the west side of Uelzen station. However, IRE services from Berlin to Hamburg (introduced on 15 April 2014) use the Veerßer Kurve in this direction only to call at platform 102 on the east side of the station.
Osnabrück Schinkel and Löhner Curves: Osnabrück ob Bf – Wissingen (Bbf Lüstringen)
[375, 385] (25A2, 40C3) DE15/157
This is a curve from the high level station at Osnabrück to the Hannover line.
SuX | IC2241 | Münster (Westf) – 06:04 Osnabrück Hbf – Berlin Ostbf. | |
FO | IC1922 | Stuttgart Hbf – 15:56 Osnabrück Hbf – Berlin Südkreuz | |
ThO | IC1928 | Köln Hbf – 15:56 Osnabrück Hbf – Berlin Südkreuz | |
SuO | IC2343 | Münster (Westf) - 08:04 Osnabrück Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof | |
IC2242 | Berlin Ostbahnhof – 21:35 Bünde (Westf) – Münster (Westf) | ||
SuO | IC2240 | Berlin Ostbahnhof – 23:35 Bünde (Westf) – Münster (Westf) |
Ahlten (Abzw. Lehrte West) – Aligse (Lehrte Nordgruppe, former Stw Lnf)
[360.6.7] (26B2, 122D4-122C4) DE15/158
This west <=> north curve is used by trains between Hannover and Burgdorf which run non-stop between Hannover Karl-Wiechert-Allee and Aligse. There is an hourly S-Bahn service between Hannover and Celle by this route.
Lehrte (Abzw Lehrte West) – Misburg – Abzw Waldheim – Hannover Messe/Laatzen (Hannover Wülfel)
[349] (26B2, 122D4-122D3) DE15/159
This line forms the eastern part of the ring line round the south side of Hannover. It is used by the following trains to avoid reversal at Hannover Hbf.
A | SSuX | ICE1091 | Berlin Südkreuz – 06:17 Berlin-Spandau – München Hbf |
A | SX | ICE1093 | Berlin Ostbahnhof – 18:18 Berlin-Spandau – Stuttgart Hbf/München Hbf |
D1 | ICE1197 | Berlin Hbf – 17:40 Wolfsburg – Frankfurt am Main Hbf | |
MO | ICE1096 | Karlsruhe Hbf – 06:14 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof | |
TWThO | ICE1092 | Darmstadt Hbf – 06:14 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof | |
SO | ICE1692 | Karlsruhe Hbf - 11:51 Göttingen - Berlin Südkreuz | |
FO | ICE1672 | Darmstadt Hbf - 15:50 Göttingen - Berlin Südkreuz | |
FO | ICE1184 | München Hbf – 17:50 Göttingen – Berlin Südkreuz |
A: ICE1091 and ICE1093 depart Berlin-Spandau at 05:45 and 17:54 respectively 10 to 17 May 2015
D1: Runs on 10, 13 and 17 May 2015 only
Lehrte – Sehnde
[323] (26B2, 122D4) DE15/160
East of Lehrte, the lines from Braunschweig and Hildesheim join with the line from Gifhorn in a complex flying junction. Trains from Lehrte towards Braunchweig or Hildesheim dive under the Gifhorn line and follow the original alignment of the Braunschweig line. Tains towards Lehrte diverge to the north and fly over the Gifhorn line about ½ km further north.
As an exception to this, any train from Hildesheim that terminates at Lehrte platform 3 will use the south side of the flying junction in the inbound direction.
Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe (Abzw Siekweg) – Göttingen east side platforms
[351] (40B3 not shown, 55A2-55B2) DE15/161
This 2km link (line 1803) leaves the Kassel Schnellfahrstrecke south of Göttingen and then crosses the Eichenberg line before joining the eastern platforms at Göttingen. It is normally used by northbound trains stopping at platform 4 at Göttingen. The only such train booked to use platform 4 in the current timetable is
SuO | ICE992 | Zürich Hbf – 22:56 Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe – Hamburg Hbf |
Wilhelmshaven docks branches
(16A3 not shown, 42B2/C2) DE15/162
In summer 2014 tourist trains, marketed as the "Sande Express", ran on eight days to two destinations in Wilhelmshaven docks. These were:
- [Sande -] Abzw. Schortens Weisser Floh - line 1552 - Wilhelmshaven Olweiche - INEOS Vinyls ( referred to as Bohnenburg in promotional literature) and
- [Sande -] Line 1550 - Wilhelmshaven Jadeallee (which is immediately south of the Hauptbahnhof)
It is intended that similar trains run in 2015. See the Wilhelmshaven Touristik & Freizeit website. Details for 2014 can be found on the Sande-Express page. The trains started from the Wilhelmshaven Touristik & Freizeit premises on the south side of the Ems-Jade-Kanal.