Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

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

Minden (Westf) – Hamm (via Goods Line)

[400] (25A1-25B2, 41C1-52B1) DE16/351

Hamm to Minden is the longest quadruple line in Germany. Between Bielefeld and Gütersloh the goods lines fly over the passenger lines, and between Heessen and Ahlen they dive under. The goods lines are sometimes used by relief trains between Hannover and the Ruhr in order to overtake stopping services. They are also used when engineering work is taking place on the main line, which may be indicated by stopping trains being advertised not to call at certain stations.

Nordbögge (Abzw Selmig) - Welver (Hamm-Gallberg) (via Hamm Rbf)

[415, 430] (35B3, 134B4) DE16/351A

This route enables trains to run between the Dortmund and Soest lines at Hamm, without reversing at Hamm (Westf) Pbf. The ICE train that previously used the line now reverses at Hamm Pbf.

Dortmund Hbf (Abzw Lütgendortmund) – Witten Hbf (Abzw Stockumer Straße)

[427, 455] (34B3, 138D3) DE16/352

This east to south curve is used by trains running non-stop between Dortmund Hbf and Witten Hbf or Hagen Hbf. There are hourly services of IC/ICE trains to Hagen and RE trains to Witten.

Dortmund Aplerbeck Süd (Abzw Schwerte Heide) – Fröndenberg (Schwerte Ost)

[438] (35A1, 139C3) DE16/353

This north to east curve connects the Dortmund and Brilon Wald lines east of Schwerte (Ruhr). It is used by through trains between Dortmund Hbf and Bestwig, Brilon Wald or Winterberg (Westf), approximately hourly, except RB10785 23:23 from Dortmund Hbf, which reverses at Schwerte (Ruhr).

Hagen-Vorhalle – Hattingen (Ruhr)

(34A2 to 35A1, 138B4-139A4) DE16/354

This route is a DB AG freight line from Hagen-Vorhalle to Wengern Ost and a tourist line thence to Hattingen (Ruhr), operated by DGEG Bahnen und Reisen Bochum AG. There is a regular passenger service on Fridays and Sundays from May to October, normally with a diesel railbus but on some days with steam. See www.ruhrtalbahn.de.

Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal – Kalkum

[415.1] (33A1, 140D2) DE16/355

The original Düsseldorf Flughafen station, now known as Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal, is at the end of a short branch off the main line from Düsseldorf to Duisburg. Since the new Düsseldorf Flughafen station opened on the main line on 28 May 2000, there has been no direct S-Bahn service between the old station and Duisburg. The only train now to use the west to north curve off the branch to Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal is

SSuX

RE10162

Dortmund Hbf – 03:22 Duisburg Hbf – Düsseldorf Hbf

Neuss avoiding line: Neuss Am Kaiser (Abzw Erftkanal) – Meerbusch-Osterath (Abzw Weißenberg)

[495] (33A1, 141C3) DE16/356

This east to north curve is used by trains between Düsseldorf Hbf and Krefeld not calling at Neuss Hbf. These comprise the half-hourly (hourly at weekends) service between Düsseldorf Hbf and Kleve.

Neuss Pbf - Neuss Am Kaiser (Abzw Erftkanal)

[415.1, 481] (33A1, 140C3-140C4) DE16/357

Neuss station is in two parts, east and west, with separate approach tracks to each from the Düsseldorf, Grevenbroich and Köln lines. All S-Bahn trains, as well as all trains to/from Mönchengladbach, use the west side. Other trains, including all of those to and from Krefeld, use the east side. Therefore, most trains between Düsseldorf and Neuss use the west side, the exceptions using the east side being RB38 trains to and from Grevenbroich, plus long-distance trains routed via Köln and Neuss:

	SuO	IC2402	16:29 Köln Hbf – Hamburg-Altona
	SuO	IC2400	17:26 Köln Hbf – Hamburg-Altona

Opladen – Hilden

(38A2, 147C2-141B4) DE16/358

This is part of a freight route from Köln-Gremberg to Oberhausen West, which is paralleled by the Solingen-Ohligs S-Bahn line between Hilden and Düsseldorf-Eller. The following trains between Köln Hbf and Wuppertal Hbf are diverted from 9 July until 21 August 2016 via Düsseldorf-Eller and omit the usual stop at Solingen Hbf, so use the freight route between Opladen and Hilden.

	SSuX	ICE813	Dortmund Hbf - 06:13 Wuppertal Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf
	SuX	IC2044	Dresden Hbf/Leipzig Hbf - 12:14 Wuppertal Hbf - Bonn Hbf
	SO	IC2046	Dresden Hbf - 14:14 Wuppertal Hbf - Köln Hbf
		IC2048	Dresden Hbf - 16:14 Wuppertal Hbf - Köln Hbf/Bonn Hbf
		IC2440	Dresden Hbf - 18:14 Wuppertal Hbf - Köln Hbf/Bonn Hbf/Koblenz Hbf
	SX	IC2442	Dresden Hbf - 20:13 Wuppertal Hbf - Köln Hbf
		IC2441	Bonn Hbf - 08:46 Köln Hbf - Dresden Hbf
	FSSuO	IC2049	10:48 Köln Hbf - Dresden Hbf
	SX	IC2047	12:48 Köln Hbf - Dresden Hbf
	SuO	IC2041	18:48 Köln Hbf - Hannover Hbf
	SSuX	ICE606	19:13 Köln Hbf - Dortmund Hbf

Köln-Mülheim (Abzw Berliner Straße) – Köln-Kalk (via Köln-Kalk Nord)

(36A3, 146C2-146B3) DE16/359

This is an alternative, longer route between Köln-Mülheim and Köln Messe/Deutz, joining the line from Troisdorf at Köln-Kalk.

D1	SSuX	ICE656	Berlin-Gesundbrunnen - 08:41 Wuppertal Hbf - Köln Hbf
D1	SuX	ICE946	Berlin-Gesundbrunnen - 10:08 Düsseldorf Hbf - Köln Hbf
D		ICE846	Berlin-Gesundbrunnen - 20:08 Düsseldorf Hbf - Köln Hbf

D1: 9 July to 20 August 2016. Runs via the main line on other dates.

Köln Süd – Troisdorf (via Köln-Bonntor, Abzw Südbrücke and Gremberg Rbf)

[472] (36A3, 146A4-148D2) DE16/360

This route over the Südbrücke enables trains via Bonn-Beuel or the Frankfurt Schnellfahrstrecke to arrive and depart at the west end of Köln Hbf.

Between Abzw Steinstraße (where the line from Südbrücke joins) and Troisdorf, trains from Südbrücke that do not use the Schnellfahrstrecke will use the goods line to the west of the high-speed line, rather than the local passenger line to the east of it.

ICE522

München Hbf - 00:20 Siegburg/Bonn - Dortmund Hbf

Köln-Ehrenfeld – Köln West

(36A3, 146A2-146A3) DE16/361

This west to south curve links the Aachen and Koblenz lines west of Köln Hbf.

D2	MO	D1850	Stuttgart Hbf - 14:12 Bonn Hbf - Aachen Hbf
D2	MO	D1851	Aachen Hbf - 17:46 Köln-Ehrenfeld - Stuttgart Hbf

D2: Service planned by derschnellzug; the proposed start date of 18 March 2016 has been deferred.

Horrem

[481] (37B1, 63A2) DE16/362

There is a triangular junction at Horrem station. Bedburg trains terminating and starting at Horrem use platform 10 on the north to west curve. These run hourly, Mondays to Fridays. Trains between Bedburg and Köln Hbf use platform 19 on the north to east curve. These run hourly every day.

Bonn-Beuel – Hangelar

(36B1, 149A4-149B4) DE16/363

Trains operated by Rhein-Sieg-Eisenbahn usually provide a passenger service over this line in connection with the annual Pützchens Markt early in September.