Germany (Hessen) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

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Introduction

This list is based on the timetable in force from 13 December 2015 until 10 December 2016, 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 (2011 edition) is shown, in italic, in addition to the reference to M.G. Ball's European Railway Atlas.

Obscure services

Routes are ordered geographically. In the Frankfurt area, routes in and out of the Hauptbahnhof are considered first and then the various avoiding lines. In both cases, routes are ordered clockwise round the city, from Frankfurt am Main Süd to Frankfurt am Main West. In May or June each year a town in Hessen hosts the Hessentag festival, which lasts about a week. Special trains are often run to the Hessentag site, which is different each year. In 1997 and 2001 this resulted in temporary passenger services being provided over freight lines. Events until 2017 are at locations with regular passenger services.

Eichenberg avoiding line: Friedland (Han) (Abzw Eichenberg Nordkopf) – Arenshausen (Abzw Eichenberg Ostkopf)

[540.1] (40B2 not shown, 55B3) DE16/501

This north to east curve links the Göttingen and Nordhausen lines and is used by through trains between Göttingen and Leinefelde (generally every two hours).

Bad Sooden-Allendorf (Abzw Eschwege-Wehre) – Wehretal-Reichensachsen (Abzw Eschwege-Stegmühle)

[613] (40B2 not shown, 55B4) DE16/502

Since the reopening of Eschwege Stadtbahnhof in 2009, all local trains between Eichenberg and Bebra reverse there, leaving and returning to the main line at a triangular junction at Eschwege West. Daytime expresses use the Schnellfahrstrecke, so the only passenger trains to use the main line, bypassing Eschwege, are overnight ones.

D AZ1499 21:32 Hamburg-Altona – Lörrach GBf AA
D1 EN452 Moskva Belorusskaja - 21:57 Berlin Hbf - Paris Est
D AZ1495/AZ1497 22:55 Hamburg-Altona - München Ost AA
MO ICE271 Hamburg-Altona - 03:07 Göttingen - Basel SBB/Chur
EN491 Hamburg-Altona - 23:27 Göttingen - Wien Hbf
D2 EN453 Paris Est - 23:24 Karlsruhe Hbf - Moskva Belorusskaja
MO ICE990 München Hbf - 02:25 Bad Hersfeld - Hamburg Hbf
D AZ1494/AZ1496 22:30 München Ost - Hamburg-Altona AA
D3 AZ1498 Lörrach Gbf - 23:21 Freiburg (Brg) Hbf - Hamburg-Altona AA
EN490 Wien Hbf – 02:26 Würzburg Hbf – Hamburg-Altona

D1: Diverted via this route when departing Berlin on 25 & 26 March, 19 & 20 May and 18, 25 & 26 November

D2: Diverted via this route when departing Paris on 26 & 27 March, 21 & 22 May, 31 July and SSuO 19 to 27 November

D3: Diverted via this route on dates of operation 9 September to 16 October 2016, except for 10 & 13 October.

Bebra avoiding line: Ludwigsau-Friedlos (Abzw Blankenheim) – Ronshausen (Abzw Faßdorf)

[605, 610] (40B1, 66 insert) DE16/503

This south to east curve enables trains between Fulda and Eisenach to avoid reversal at Bebra. It is used by trains (an ICE/IC service at least hourly) running non-stop between Fulda or Bad Hersfeld and Eisenach, plus:

CNL471 Ostseebad Binz/Berlin-Gesundbrunnen – 01:33 Erfurt Hbf – Zürich HB
D4 EN452 Moskva Belorusskaya - 21:09 Berlin Hbf - Paris Est
CNL470 Zürich HB – 00:54 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Berlin-Gesundbrunnen/Ostseebad Binz
D5 EN453 Paris Est - 00:45 Karlsruhe - Moskva Belorusskaya

D4: Does not run this way when departing Berlin on 25 & 26 March, 19 & 20 May and 18, 25 & 26 November

D5: Does not run this way when departing Paris on 26 & 27 March, 21 & 22 May, 31 July and SSuO 19 to 27 November

Gießen avoiding line: Dutenhofen – Großen Linden (Gießen Bergwald Stw Gs)

[445, 630] (49B3, 65A4) DE16/504

This west to south curve enables trains to run between Wetzlar and Friedberg (Hess) without reversing at Gießen.

SSuX HLB24901/24981 Siegen – 05:47 Wetzlar – Frankfurt am Main West/Hbf
SSuX HLB24900/24990 Frankfurt am Main Hbf/West – 17:58 Bad Nauheim – Siegen

Neuhof (Kr Fulda) (Fulda-Bronzell) – Fulda via Flyover

[615] (51B3 not shown, 78C1) DE16/505

The flyover south of the station allows trains to run from the northbound line from Hanau into the low-numbered platforms at Fulda, without crossing the Schnellfahrstrecke on the level. It is used by most RE trains via Flieden terminating at Fulda.

Flieden – Sterbfritz (Elm Bbf)

(51A3, 78C1-78C2) DE16/506

This is part of the former main line between München and Hamburg. Daytime expresses now use the Schnellfahrstrecke and diversion of Gemünden local trains to Schlüchtern, instead of Fulda, has left the route with passenger trains mostly during the night.

EN491 Hamburg-Altona - 23:27 Göttingen - Wien Hbf
D AZ1495/AZ1497 22:55 Hamburg-Altona - München Ost AA
D6 SSuX D1883 Hamburg Hbf - 18:22 Fulda - Stuttgart Hbf
D6 SO D1884 Stuttgart Hbf - 00:51 Würzburg Hbf - Hamburg Hbf
D AZ1494/AZ1496 22:30 München Ost - Hamburg-Altona AA
EN490 Wien Hbf – 02:26 Würzburg Hbf – Hamburg-Altona
D6 FO D1882 Stuttgart Hbf - 16:04 Würzburg Hbf - Hamburg Hbf

D6: Service planned by derschnellzug; the proposed start date of 18 March 2016 has been deferred.

Wolfgang (Kr Hanau) – Hanau Hbf (via Abzw Rauschwald)

[615] (49B2, 153D2) DE16/508

This route enables trains to and from the Fulda line to use the south side platforms (101 to 106) at Hanau Hbf.

SSuX RB15641 Bad Soden-Salmünster – 07:23 Wolfgang (Kr Hanau) – Frankfurt am Main Hbf

Hanau West (Weiche 403/404) – Hanau Hbf (Nordseite)

[580, 640] (49B2, 153D2) DE16/507

Most trains to and from the Maintal line use the southern platforms at Hanau Hbf. There are two spurs linking the Maintal line to Hanau Hbf Nordseite (Fulda line). The southerly one is for eastbound trains via platform 7 only. The other is reversible and links with platforms 2 to 7.

This route is used by ICE trains every two hours between Leipzig Hbf and Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf departing Fulda 06:45 to 16:45 and Frankfurt am Main Süd 08:22 to 18:22. It is also used by:

CNL471 Ostseebad Binz/Berlin-Gesundbrunnen - 01:33 Erfurt Hbf - Zürich HB
SSuO RE15204 06:03 Hanau Hbf – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SSuX IC2393 Fulda - 07:48 Hanau Hbf – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SSuX RE15216 08:01 Hanau Hbf – Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regiobf
SuO IC1991 Berlin Ostbahnhof - 14:41 Fulda - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D7 IC1075/1997 Berlin Hbf/Südkreuz - 16:40 Fulda - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SX IC1542 Leipzig Hbf - 21:25 Hanau Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Flugahfen Fernbf
D8 EN453 Paris Est - 00:59 Frankfurt am Main Süd - Moskva Belorusskaja
SSuX RE15249 Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regionalbf – 17:35 Maintal Ost – Hanau Hbf

D7: 23 December 2015, 24 March, 4 & 25 May 2016 only

D8: Only when the train departs Paris on 26 & 27 March, 21 & 22 May, 31 July and 19, 20, 26 & 27 November

Between 16 July and 28 August this route is also used by ICE trains between Kiel or Hamburg and destinations in Switzerland which call southbound at Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe every two hours 08:38 to 20:38 and northbound at Frankfurt am Main Süd every two hours 08:01 to 20:01 and also (from Stuttgart) at 09:01.

Frankfurt am Main Hbf

Trains between Frankfurt am Main Hbf and Frankfurt am Main Stadion, Neu Isenburg or Frankfurt am Main Süd may use two routes over the River Main, crossing the Niederrader Brücke or the Main-Neckar-Brücke. The line over the Niederrader Brücke gives access to platforms 1a through 8 on the south side (via Abzw Gutleuthof), platforms 15 through 24 on the north side of the Hauptbahnhof and the S-Bahn underground station. The Main-Neckar-Brücke gives access to platforms 4 through 13. Platforms 4 through 8 are accessible from both bridges.

Trains via Frankfurt am Main Süd and Neu Isenburg mainly use the Main-Neckar-Brücke and those via Frankfurt am Main Stadion mainly the Niederrader Brücke. Journey time between Frankfurt am Main Stadion and the Hauptbahnhof is only slightly longer via Main-Neckar-Brücke than via Niederrader Brücke. However, there is a significant difference between Frankfurt am Main Süd and the Hauptbahnhof, with trains via Niederrader Brücke being scheduled at least 10 minutes, rather than 6 or 7 minutes for the Main-Neckar-Brücke route.

Many long-distance trains reverse at Frankfurt and, in the lists below, trains using a route inward are shown before those using it outward.

Note that there are extensive alterations to train services in the Frankfurt area between 16 July and 28 August 2016.

Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Frankfurt am Main Süd

[580, 615, 615.1, 640] (50A3-50B3, 151C3-151D3) DE16/509

Most trains run via Main-Neckar-Brücke. The following trains run via Niederrader Brücke and Abzw Forsthaus:

D FO IC1991 Berlin Ostbahnhof – 15:32 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D9 IC1075 Berlin Südkreuz – 16:40 Fulda – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D FO ICE1997 Berlin Hbf – 16:40 Fulda – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SuO RE4640 Bamberg – 18:26 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SuO RE4642 Bamberg – 20:26 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D FO ICE1197 Berlin Südkreuz - 21:29 Frankfurt am Main Süd - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SSuO RE4647 09:01 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Bamberg
SSuO RE4649 15:01 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Bamberg
SX ICE776 17:16 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Bremen Hbf

D9: 24 March, 4 & 25 May 2016 only

Although trains from Groß-Umstadt Wiebelsbach to Frankfurt am Main Hbf, departing Frankfurt am Main Süd at 5 minutes past the hour, are allowed 15 minutes to the Hauptbahnhof, they run via Main Neckar Brücke, but with a pathing stop en route.

Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Neu Isenburg (via Abzw Forsthaus)

[650, 650.2] (50A3-50B3, 151C3-151C4) DE16/510

Most trains to and from Neu Isenburg, other than S-Bahn, run via Main-Neckar-Brücke, but the following are scheduled via Niederrader Brücke:

D IC2390/2392 Stuttgart Hbf - 08:41 Darmstadt Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D SuO IC2412 Stuttgart Hbf - 11:24 Darmstadt Hbf - Berlin Ostbahnhof
D IC2390/2392 Stuttgart Hbf - 08:41 Darmstadt Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D SuO IC2412 Stuttgart Hbf - 11:24 Darmstadt Hbf - Berlin Ostbahnhof
D IC2391 16:50 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Stuttgart Hbf
SuO IC1956 Leipzig Hbf - 17:59 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Karlsruhe Hbf
FO IC2171 Hamburg-Altona - 20:15 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Stuttgart Hbf

The following train uses the curve between Neu Isenburg and Abzw Forsthaus, but does not call at Frankfurt am Main Hbf:

SSuX ICE1223 06:48 Darmstadt Hbf - München Hbf (via Dortmund Hbf)

The following services are diverted this way between 16 July and 28 August 2016:

D SSuX IC2278 Karlsruhe Hbf - 06:54 Heidelberg Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D TGV9583 Marseille St Charles - 14:54 Karlsruhe Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D ICE9553 Paris Est - 16:19 Mannheim Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D SX ICE9555 Paris Est - 20:19 Mannheim Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D TGV/ICE9557/9559 Paris Est - 22:19 Mannheim Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
D SSuX ICE9558 05:38 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D SO ICE9566 08:26 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D SSuX ICE9556 08:37 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D SSuO ICE9554 10:38 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D TGV9552 12:38 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D TGV9580 13:38 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D TGV9560 16:50 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est
D SSuX ICE9550 18:38 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Paris Est

Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Frankfurt am Main Stadion

[471, 472, 655, 655.1] (50A3-50B3, 151C3-151B4) DE16/511

Most trains (and particularly RE and RB ones) run via Niederrader Brücke. Most RE and RB trains use platforms 15–24 on the north side of the Hauptbahnhof. Most S-Bahn S7 services and many IC and ICE trains run via Abzw Gutleuthof and use platforms 1–8 on the south side of the Hauptbahnhof.

The following trains run via Main-Neckar-Brücke and Abzw Forsthaus:

  • ICE trains from Mannheim Hbf to Frankfurt am Main Hbf hourly 06:32 to 21:32 and every two hours 07:16 to 19:16;
  • ICE trains from Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf to Frankfurt am Main Hbf every two hours 06:42 to 20:42;
  • ICE trains from Frankfurt am Main Hbf to Mannheim Hbf hourly 05:50 to 20:50;
  • ICE trains from Frankfurt am Main Hbf to Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf hourly 08:10 to 22:10 (except 09:10, 12:10 & 16:10)

Changes between 16 July and 28 August: Trains from Mannheim Hbf usually at 32 minutes past the hour leave 3 minutes earlier. The 07:16 from Mannheim Hbf (ICE674) departs 4 minutes earlier and runs direct to Frankfurt am Main Süd. The trains that usually depart Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf at 42 minutes past alternate hours do not call there and run non-stop from Mannheim Hbf to Frankfurt am Main Hbf via Main-Neckar-Brücke, except ICE772 08:11 from Mannheim Hbf which runs direct to Frankfurt am Main Süd. Departures from Mannheim Hbf are at 06:01, 10:07, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 & 20:06.

Other trains via this route (throughout the year, unless shown otherwise) are:

ICE887/1087 Hamburg-Altona - 00:13 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Wiesbaden Hbf
IC2220/2320 05:42 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Koblenz Hbf/Hamburg-Altona/Lübeck Hbf
D10 ICE9568 06:54 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Paris-Est
SuO IC1920 12:15 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof
SuO ICE695/1093 Berlin Ostbahnhof - 21:51 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Stuttgart Hbf/München Hbf
FSX ICE990/1590 München Hbf – 00:31 SSuX Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
FSO RJ66 Budapest-Keleti – 00:31 SSuO Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
ICE827 Köln Hbf – 04:37 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Frankfurt am Main Hbf/München Hbf
SX ICE1218 München Hbf – 04:38 SuX Mannheim Hbf - Essen Hbf
ICE618/1018/1118 München Hbf – 05:17 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf - Essen Hbf/Dortmund Hbf
MO ICE1092 Karlsruhe Hbf – 05:27/05:28 Mannheim Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof
ICE521 Köln Hbf - 05:34 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – München Hbf
ICE1597 Wiesbaden Hbf/Mainz Hbf – 09:02 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Leipzig Hbf/Dresden Hbf
ICE27 Hamburg Hbf – 12:02 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Wien Hbf
ICE627 Dortmund Hbf/Essen Hbf – 13:32 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – München Hbf
ICE1653 Wiesbaden Hbf – 15:02 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Dresden Hbf
ICE1655 Wiesbaden Hbf – 17:02 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf – Dresden Hbf
ICE4 Zürich HB - 22:33 Mannheim Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf

D10: Not 17 July to 28 August 2016

Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Frankfurt-Höchst (via Abzw Mainzer Landstraße)

[466, 627, 646] (50A3, 151B3-152C3) DE16/512

All trains, other than S-Bahn, between Frankfurt-Höchst and Frankfurt am Main Hbf run via Abzw Mainzer Landstraße. Most of those to and from Koblenz and Wiesbaden use the connection between Abzw Mainzer Landstraße and platforms 15–24 on the north side of Frankfurt am Main Hbf. Most of those to and from Limburg (Lahn) run via Abzw Gutleuthof to use platforms 1–8 on the south side of the Hauptbahnhof.

Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Frankfurt-Rödelheim (via Abzw Mainzer Landstraße)

[637] (50A3, 151C3-152D2) DE16/513

This route is used by the through trains between Brandoberndorf, Grävenwiesbach and Frankfurt am Main Hbf, all of which arrive and depart at the north side platforms. S-Bahn trains between Frankfurt-Rödelheim and Frankfurt am Main Hbf run via Frankfurt West.

Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Frankfurt am Main West

[630] (50A3, 151C3) DE16/514

Most trains run direct between Frankfurt am Main Hbf and Frankfurt am Main West. The following are scheduled to run in a loop via Frankfurt am Main Hbf, Niederrader Brücke, Abzw Forsthaus, Main-Neckar-Brücke and Frankfurt am Main West, but may not always do so. CNL479 has been known to run from Frankfurt am Main West to Frankfurt am Main Hbf via Frankfurt Außenbahnhof, Niederrader Brücke, Abzw Forsthaus and Main-Neckar-Brücke.

CNL479 Hamburg-Altona – 23:06 Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe - Zürich HB
CNL478 Zürich HB - 03:49 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Hamburg-Altona

Frankfurt am Main Süd (Abst Anlage) – Frankfurt-Louisa

[650, 650.2] (50A3, 151D3-151C4) DE16/515

This east to south curve provides a link between Frankfurt am Main Süd and the Darmstadt line. There is a frequent S-Bahn service over tracks parallel to this route.

D AZ1499 21:32 Hamburg-Altona – Lörrach Gbf AA
D11 FO ICE1179 Hamburg-Altona - 18:02 Frankfurt am Main Süd - Stuttgart Hbf
D16 D1819 Berlin-Lichtenberg - 19:37 Frankfurt am Main Süd - Stuttgart Hbf
D12 AZ1498 Lörrach Gbf - 23:21 Freiburg (Brg) Hbf - Hamburg-Altona AA
D16 D1818 Stuttgart Hbf - 08:05 Darmstadt Hbf – Berlin-Lichtenberg
FO ICE1970 Heidelberg Hbf - 13:46 Darmstadt Hbf – Stralsund Hbf/Ostseebad Binz

D11: Not via this route 22 July to 26 August

D12: Runs via this route on dates of operation between 9 September and 16 October 2016, except it takes the usual route via Frankfurt am Main West (DE16/517) on nights of 10 & 13 October.

D16: Planned to operate from September 2016, by Locomore.

Frankfurt am Main Stadion – Frankfurt am Main Süd (via Abzw Forsthaus)

[580, 640, 655.1] (50A3-50B3, 151B4-151D3) DE16/516

This route is used by trains between Frankfurt am Main Stadion and Frankfurt am Main Süd if not booked to call at Frankfurt am Main Hbf. These are ICE trains every two hours, subject to variations of up to 3 minutes in a few cases:

  • Frankfurt Süd to Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf 07:39 to 17:39
  • Frankfurt Süd to Mannheim Hbf 10:02 to 20:02
  • Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf to Frankfurt Süd 08:11 to 18:11
  • Mannheim Hbf to Frankfurt Süd 07:12 to 19:12

The trains between Mannheim Hbf and Frankfurt Süd are routed this way only between 16 July and 28 August.

The route is also used by:

EN421 Düsseldorf Hbf - 23:53 Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf - Wien Hbf
EN470 Zürich HB - 00:05 Mannheim Hbf - Berlin-Gesundbrunnen/Ostseebad Binz
EN453 Paris Est - 23:24 Karlsruhe Hbf - Moskva Belorusskaja
SSuX RB15211 07:06 Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf - Hanau Hbf
D13 ICE674 Basel Bad Bbf - 07:12 Mannheim Hbf - Kiel Hbf
D13 ICE772 Stuttgart Hbf - 08:11 Mannheim Hbf - Hamburg-Altona
SSuX RB15219 09:13 Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf – Hanau Hbf
SSuX RB15239 15:13 Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf – Hanau Hbf
SSuX RB15249 17:13 Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf – Hanau Hbf
EN452 Moskva Belorusskaja (as train 23) – 23:24 Erfurt Hbf – Paris Est
CNL471 Ostseebad Binz/Berlin-Gesundbrunnen - 01:33 Erfurt Hbf - Zürich HB
EN420 Wien Hbf - 05:27 Frankfurt am Main Süd - Düsseldorf Hbf
SSuX RB15206 Aschaffenburg Hbf – 06:40 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf
SSuX RB15298 Hanau Hbf – 08:41 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf
SSuX RB15238 Hanau Hbf – 14:39 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf
SSuX RB15246 Hanau Hbf – 16:42 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt Flughafen Regionalbf
ICE1542 Leipzig Hbf – 21:40 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf
D13 ICE273 Kiel Hbf – 22:02 Frankfurt am Main Süd – Karlsruhe Hbf/Basel SBB

D13: 16 July to 28 August only

Frankfurt am Main Hbf avoiding line: Frankfurt West (Galluswarte) – Frankfurt-Louisa (Abzw Main-Neckar-Brücke)

(50A3, 151C3) DE16/517

This line provides a north-south link between Frankfurt West and the Main Neckar Brücke, for trains not required to call at the Hauptbahnhof.

D14 AZ1498 Lörrach Gbf - 23:21 Freiburg (Brg) Hbf - Hamburg-Altona AA

D14: Runs via Frankfurt am Main Süd (DE16/515) on dates of operation 9 September to 16 October 2016, except it runs via this route on nights of 10 & 13 October.

This route is also used by trains listed under route DE16/514.

Wiesbaden avoiding line: Wiesbaden-Biebrich – Wiesbaden Ost

[466] (50B1, 151B1-151C1) DE16/518

This route is used by trains running between Frankfurt or Mainz and the east bank of the Rhein (Rechte Rheinstrecke) without calling at Wiesbaden Hbf.

D15 SuO IC2412 Stuttgart Hbf - 12:00 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Berlin Ostbahnhof
D15 FO IC2415 Dortmund Hbf - 15:25 Eltville - Stuttgart Hbf

D15: 2 September to 30 October 2016

Limburg Süd (Abzw Breckenheim) - Wiesbaden Hbf (Wiesbaden-Wäschbach)

[472] (50B1, 151B1 - 151D1) DE16/519

This branch off the Köln - Frankfurt Schnellfahrstrecke is used by ICE trains between Köln and Wiesbaden Hbf.

SSuX ICE711 Köln Hbf - 06:57 Limburg Süd - Stuttgart Hbf
SSuX ICE1228 München Hbf - 18:20 Limburg Süd - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SSuX ICE716 Mainz Hbf - 06:23 Wiesbaden Hbf - Köln Hbf
SSuX ICE712 Stuttgart Hbf - 16:45 Wiesbaden Hbf - Köln Hbf

Hochheim (Main) (Abzw Kostheim) – Mainz Hbf (Abzw Kaiserbrücke Ost)

(50B1, 151C1-151C2) DE16/520

This route allows trains from the north bank of the River Main to access the Kaiserbrücke over the River Rhein to Mainz, allowing trains to run between Mainz Hbf and the Frankfurt area via Frankfurt-Höchst. This line can also be used to allow trains to run between Mainz-Bischofsheim and Mainz-Mombach without passing through Mainz Hbf.

SO IC2317 07:00 Frankfurt am Main Hbf - Stuttgart Hbf

This route is also used by trains listed under route DE16/401 to and from Mainz-Mombach.

Mainz-Bischofsheim (Abzw Kostheim Ost) – Mainz-Kastel (Abzw Kostheim)

[645.8-9, 651] DE16/521

This connection across the Main splits in two parts at Abzw Kostheim Ost just north of the river. The two main tracks fly over the Höchst line and turn west to touch it briefly (Abzw Kostheim) before turning north to become DE16/520 towards the Kaiserbrücke. There is also a single-track south-to-west curve that avoids the flyover and joins the Höchst line from the south at Abzw Kostheim.

The single-tracked curve is used by used by trains from Mainz-Kastel to Bischofsheim, but all trains from Bischofsheim use the main track until Abzw Kostheim.

The eastbound main track from Abzw Kostheim to Abzw Kostheim Ost is only used by trains coming from DE16/520, so is not used by passenger trains at present.

Kelsterbach – Frankfurt am Main Stadion (Abzw Frankfurt Schwanheim)

[471] (50B2, 152C3-152D3) DE16/522

This is part of the original main line and is used by trains between Mainz Hbf and the Frankfurt area via Kelsterbach, which stop at neither of the stations at Frankfurt am Main Flughafen.

SSuX RE29553 Kirn – 06:56 Rüsselsheim – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
SSuX RE29205 Alzey – 07:39 Rüsselsheim – Frankfurt am Main Hbf
FO RE29648 15:30 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Bad Kreuznach
FSSuX RE29650 17:35 Frankfurt am Main Hbf – Bad Kreuznach

Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regionalbahnhof – Frankfurt am Main Stadion (Abzw Frankfurt Schwanheim)

[471] (50B2, 151A4-151B4) DE16/523

Most trains between Frankfurt am Main Stadion and Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regionalbahnhof use the flyover over the main line from Kelsterbach. Trains, other than S-Bahn, from the airport to the main station at Frankfurt am Main Hbf or via Abzw Forsthaus are likely to use this connection directly onto the main line. These include all RE trains from Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Regionalbahnhof to Frankfurt am Main Hbf.

Raunheim (Abzw Mönchwald) – Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbf (Abzw Mönchhof)

[471] (50B2 not shown, 152B4) DE16/524

This spur connects the old main line from Mainz Hbf to the Schnellfahrstrecke from Köln. It is used by trains calling at both Mainz Hbf and Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbf. There is an hourly IC/ICE service.

Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbf – Zeppelinheim

[655.1] (50B2, 152D3) DE16/525

This south to west curve is from Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbf to the line to Mannheim via Biblis. It is used by trains running direct between Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbf and Mannheim. These are principally hourly ICE trains between Köln and Basel or München and two-hourly ICE trains between Frankfurt am Main and Stuttgart (which reverse at Frankfurt am Main Flughafen Fernbf). The Fernbahnhof (and associated AlRail Terminal) are closed from 00:30 to 05:00, during which period all trains use the Regionalbahnhof.

Groß Gerau – Groß Gerau-Dornberg

[660] (49B1, 154A2) DE16/526

IC and EC trains between Mainz and Mannheim (not calling at Frankfurt am Main Flughafen) normally run via Worms, but diversions via Groß Gerau and Groß Gerau-Dornberg do occur. Relief IC trains may also use this west to south curve. Following signalling alterations at Mannheim Hbf, it is no longer possible to determine there whether a train to Mainz is to run via Groß Gerau.

Weiterstadt (Abzw Darmstadt Stockschneise) – Darmstadt Nord – Darmstadt-Kranichstein

(49B1, 154C2) DE16/527

This west to east route connects the Mainz and Aschaffenburg lines north of Darmstadt Hbf. Between Darmstadt Nord and Darmstadt-Kranichstein it has its own alignment, different from the one used by local passenger trains. The Darmstadt-Kranichstein railway museum sometimes runs a shuttle service between Groß-Gerau and Kranichstein during its annual Bahnwelttage event in May.

Arheilgen – Darmstadt-Nord

[641] (49B1, 154C2) DE16/528

This north to east curve connects the Frankfurt am Main and Aschaffenburg lines north of Darmstadt Hbf. It is used by through trains between Groß-Umstadt Wiebelsbach and Frankfurt am Main Hbf via Darmstadt Nord, generally every two hours.

Darmstadt Hbf – Weiterstadt (Abzw Darmstadt Bergschneise and Abzw Weiterstadt Stockschneise)

[651] (49B1, 154C2) DE16/529

Darmstadt Hbf is connected to the line towards Mainz by three geographically separate tracks, of which two technically constitute a widely separated double track flying junction and the third is reversible.

The Darmstadt -> Mainz track (line 3537) diverges from the main track towards Frankfurt (line 3605) north of Darmstadt Hbf, at about the the place where it passes over the Aschaffenburg – Mainz line. It then makes a 135° curve to the left and joins the Aschaffenburg – Mainz line from the north at Abzw Stockschneise. The Mainz -> Darmstadt track (line 3530) diverges to the south at Abzw Stockschneise directly to the Hauptbahnhof, where it eventually becomes platform 9.

Between these two tracks, there is a reversible track which splits from the Mainz - Aschaffenburg line on the flat at Abzw Bergschneise, 1 km east of Abzw Stockschneise. At Darmstadt Hbf it arrives between the tracks from/to Darmstadt Nord, which eventually become platforms 7 and 8.

Trains from Mainz use line 3530. Trains towards Mainz from platforms 6 and 7 can use either the reversible track to Abzw Bergschneise or line 3537. The latter route is longer but allows higher speeds; nevertheless the shorter Bergschneise route is usually used because it does not conflict with use of line 3605 to Frankfurt. Which route is used can be seen from the position of the scissors crossover points just north of the platforms – left for the Bergschneise route, right for the Stockschneise route. The compilers would welcome any confirmation of use of the latter route.

Darmstadt Hbf – Darmstadt-Kranichstein

(49B1, 154C2) DE16/530

A shuttle service may operate between Darmstadt Hbf and Darmstadt-Kranichstein in connection with special events at the Darmstadt-Kranichstein railway museum. These trains normally use a completely different route from normal passenger services, which operate to and from platforms on the west side of Darmstadt Hbf. The shuttles use platform 1, on the east side of the Hauptbahnhof, and the goods line via Darmstadt Nord (including part of DE16/528). For details of future events, see the museum website.

See also