Germany (Baden-Württemberg) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Introduction
This list is based on the timetable dated from 10 December 2023 to 14 December 2024, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained here.
Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). References prefixed "ERA-E" refer to the European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "ERA-R" refer to the European Railway Atlas (Regional Series: Book 2) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "S+W", or in italic, refer to Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland by Schweers + Wall.
Obscure services
Mannheim-Waldhof – Mannheim Hbf (via Mannheim-Käfertal)
[655] (ERA-E 53C2-53C1; ERA-R 111A2-111B2; S+W 159A1-159A2) DE25/601
Most trains between Mannheim-Waldhof and Mannheim Hbf run via Mannheim-Luzenberg. However, several weekday S8 trains run via Mannheim-Käfertal.
SSuX | S8 38767 | Biblis – 06:39 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 38769 | Biblis – 07:35 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 38771 | Biblis – 08:39 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 | Biblis – 16:41 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 38773 | Biblis – 17:20 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 38775 | Biblis – 18:39 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 38777 | Biblis – 19:31 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S8 38766 | 05:11 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S8 38768 | 06:13 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S8 38770 | 07:08 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S8 | 15:19 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S8 | 16:12 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S8 38774 | 17:08 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S8 38776 | 18:12 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis |
Note: Train numbers are given where known, based on the previous year's timetable, as a result of Table 655 not reappearing in the online Kursbuch. They will be updated as soon as possible in the event of the Table being published. Until then, please be aware that individual train numbers may be incorrect.
A permanent hourly S-Bahn service is planned to run via this route from 2026, whereupon this entry will be removed.
The Nightjet services NJ424/425 between Berlin and Bruxelles also run this way in order to avoid reversal at Mannheim Hbf. The TGV and ICE trains between Frankfurt am Main and Paris via Saarbrücken ran this way in the previous timetable period but details for this year have yet to be verified.
Appenweier – Legelshurst (Appenweier Kurve)
[719] (ERA-E 58B4; ERA-R 117C5; S+W 102C1) DE25/602
This north to west curve forms part of the triangular junction between the Karlsruhe – Basel main line and the line to Kehl and Strasbourg. It is used by through trains between Karlsruhe and Strasbourg, which are
- TGV/ICE between Paris and Stuttgart
- TGV/ICE between Paris or Marseille and Frankfurt am Main via Karlsruhe.
It is also used by the following night trains:
TThSuO | NJ468 | Wien Hbf – 23:16 München Ost – Paris Est | |
MWFO | NJ469 | Paris Ext – 23:42 Strasbourg – Wien Hbf |
Local trains between Kehl and Offenburg stopping at Appenweier use platform 9 on the south curve.
Ubstadt-Weiher (Abzw Ubstadt) – Vaihingen (Enz) (Abzw Rollenberg)
[771.Fv] (ERA-E 53C1; ERA-R 82A2; S+W 161B1) DE25/603
This north to east curve connects the Heidelberg to Karlsruhe main line with the Mannheim to Stuttgart Schnellfahrstrecke. It is used by frequent ICE, IC and EC trains between Heidelberg Hbf and Stuttgart Hbf, except those that call at Bruchsal.
Bruchsal (Abzw Bruchsal Nord) – Vaihingen (Enz) (Abzw Rollenberg)
[770, 771.Fv] (ERA-E 53C1; ERA-R 82A2; S+W 161B1) DE25/604
This south to east curve connects the Heidelberg to Karlsruhe main line with the Mannheim to Stuttgart Schnellfahrstrecke. It is used by ICE and TGV trains which run non-stop between Karlsruhe Hbf or Bruchsal and Vaihingen (Enz) or Stuttgart Hbf.
Bruchsal – Bruchsal Tunnelstraße (Abzw Bruchsal Ost)
[771] (ERA-E 53C1; ERA-R 82A2; S+W 161A2-161B2) DE25/605
There are two routes into Bruchsal from Abzw Bruchsal Ost. The 'long curve' (Strecke 4131) can only be accessed from Platforms 4 and 5 at Bruchsal. All platforms can be accessed from the 'short curve' (Strecke 4130).
Trains to and from the Bretten line mainly arrive and depart from platforms 1-3 or bay platform 6, which is adjacent to platform 1, so must use the 'short curve'.
The following RE71 trains arrive or depart from platforms 4 or 5 so may use the 'long curve':
RE19289 | Heidelberg Hbf – 09:00 Bruchsal (p.5b) – Mühlacker | ||
RE19643 | Heidelberg Hbf – 10:59 Bruchsal (p.5b) – Mühlacker | ||
RE19647 | Heidelberg Hbf – 15:00 Bruchsal (p.4) – Mühlacker | ||
RE19651 | Heidelberg Hbf – 19:00 Bruchsal (p.5b) – Mühlacker | ||
RE19598 | Mühlacker – 07:14 Bretten – Bruchsal (p.5b) |
Enzberg (Abzw Mühlacker Süd) – Ötisheim (Abzw Mühlacker Nord)
[772] (ERA-E 58C5; ERA-R 82B3; S+W 94A2) DE25/606
This west to north curve links the Pforzheim and Bretten lines, avoiding Mühlacker, and is used on Sundays and public holidays from 1 May to 19 October 2025 by trains between Pforzheim Hbf and Maulbronn Stadt/Kloster.
- From Pforzheim Hbf: 10:32, 13:32, 16:34
- From Maulbronn West: 11:09, 16:08, 17:08
Leopoldshafen Frankfurter Straße – KIT-Campus Nord
[710.1] (ERA-E 58C5 not shown; ERA-R 82A1; S+W 160C2) DE25/607
This branch off the S1/S11 Hochstetten line of the Albtalbahn is used by services for employees and students at KIT-Campus Nord, part of Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, two outwards from Karlsruhe in the morning and two returning in the evening.
SSuX | S11 20007 | Ittersbach Rathaus – 07:44 Leopoldshafen Frankfurter Straße – KIT-Campus Nord | |
SSuX | S1 10025 | Ettlingen Albgaubad – 08:38 Leopoldshafen Frankfurter Straße – KIT-Campus Nord | |
SSuX | S1 30048 | 16:29 KIT-Campus Nord – Bad Herrenalb | |
SSuX | S1 30052 | 17:29 KIT-Campus Nord – Bad Herrenalb |
Note The previous warning note in the KVV timetable that access to the facility at KIT Campus Nord is restricted to holders of an official ID card is no longer shown, but it is likely that this restriction is still in place. Reports have previously indicated that passengers without authority to enter the complex have been removed from the train at a makeshift concrete platform in the woods outside the perimeter fence, and collected on the train's return.
However in June 2023, as part of "Tag der offenen Tür" (Open Doors Day), the Institute was open to the general public between 10:00 and 19:00. A shuttle S-Bahn service ran from Leopoldshafen Frankfurter Straße to the Campus. According to the KIT website, this event takes place every two years, so one can be expected in 2025. Details will be added to this entry when known.
Laupheim Stadt avoiding line: Laupheim West – Schemmerberg
[751] (ERA-E 59B3; ERA-R 119A4; S+W 105A3) DE25/608
The Laupheim Stadt branch is connected to the Ulm – Friedrichshafen main line by a triangular junction at Laupheim West. Through services calling at Laupheim Stadt use the north and south curves whereas those not calling at Laupheim Stadt use the main line avoiding the branch. For most of the day there is an hourly service in each direction via Laupheim Stadt and three trains each hour (two at weekends) between Ulm and Biberach (Riß) direct.
Ettlingen West – Ettlingen Erbprinz
[710.1] (ERA-E 58C5; ERA-R 82B1; S+W 161B4) DE25/609
This line links the the DB Karlsruhe – Rastatt line with the AVG-operated Albtalbahn to Bad Herrenalb at Ettlingen. It is used by the following services on Sundays and public holidays only.
SuO | S FEX 85699 | Odenheim / Menzingen (Baden) – Karlsruhe Hbf – 09:24 Ettlingen West – Bad Herrenalb | |
SuO | S FEX 85697 | Odenheim / Menzingen (Baden) – Karlsruhe Hbf – 16:24 Ettlingen West – Bad Herrenalb | |
SuO | S FEX 85696 | Bad Herrenalb – 10:25 Ettlingen Stadt – Karlsruhe Hbf – Odenheim / Menzingen (Baden) | |
SuO | S FEX 85699 | Bad Herrenalb – 17:25 Ettlingen Stadt – Karlsruhe Hbf – Odenheim / Menzingen (Baden) |
Ulmer Eisenbahnfreunde operate a number of steam excursions between Karlsruhe Hbf and Bad Herrenalb which also use this connection. These run approximately monthly, May to October.
Schlatt (Hohenz.) (Walkenmühle) – Hechingen Landesbahn
[768] (ERA-E 59A4; ERA-R 118B4; S+W 104A2) DE25/610
Trains to and from Gammertingen use the DB station at Hechingen except for:
SSuX | RB68 86309 | 06:59 Hechingen Landesbahn - Gammertingen | |
SSuX | RB68 86344 | Sigmaringen - 20x46 Schlatt (Hohenz) - Hechingen Landesbahn |
Schliengen – Haltingen
[702] (ERA-E 58A2-58B2; ERA-R 117B2; S+W 110A2-110A3) DE25/611
Trains with no stops between Müllheim im Markgräflerland and Weil am Rhein run via the Katzenberg Tunnel, opened in December 2012. These are mainly EC/ECE/ICE trains non-stop between Freiburg (Breisgau) Hbf and Basel Bad Bf, and certain RE7 trains. Stopping trains (RB27 and slower RE7 services) follow the old main line via Bad Bellingen.
Obscure services: Lines used on an occasional basis for engineering work diversions
Diversions in the Stuttgart area are particularly likely while Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof is being rebuilt.
Connections from high speed line to Stuttgart northern avoiding line: Vaihingen (Enz) (Abzw. S-Zuffenhausen Em - Abzw. S-Zazenhausen) – Stuttgart-Zazenhausen
[750, 770] (ERA-E 61C3 not shown; ERA-R 111A4; S+W 168B1-168B2) DE25/631
This route enables enables trains to run between the Schnellfahrstrecke from Mannheim and the line to Ulm without reversal at Stuttgart Hbf. Diversions this way are indicated by calls at Stuttgart Hbf being omitted. Note that the eastbound and westbound lines are quite widely separated at the Zazenhausen end.
Click on the thumbnail for a full size diagram.

Any use in this timetable period will be entered here once it becomes known.
Ludwigsburg – Stuttgart-Zazenhausen via Kornwestheim Rbf
[790.11] (ERA-E 61C3 not shown); ERA-R 111A4; S+W 168B1-168B2) DE25/632
The weekday peak-time RB11 services between Stuttgart-Untertürkheim and Kornwestheim Pbf are sometimes diverted via Kornwestheim Rbf (Rangierbahnhof / marshalling yard) omitting the call at Kornwestheim and running to and from Ludwigsburg.
Stuttgart Nürnberger Straße – Stuttgart-Untertürkheim
[750, 785, 786] (ERA-E 61C3; ERA-R 111A4-111B4; S+W 168C2-168C3) DE25/633
This route enables trains to run between the Ulm and Aalen lines without reversal at Stuttgart Hbf. It is very rarely used by passenger trains but was used in March, June and July 2023 by the two-hourly IC services between Karlsruhe and Nürnberg (and v.v.) which ran via Stuttgart Langes Feld – Zazenhausen (DE25/631) to Esslingen (Neckar) and reversed there to travel via this curve towards Crailsheim.
Stuttgart-Feuerbach (Abzw Stuttgart Nord Rbf) – Stuttgart-Vaihingen (Stuttgart Hbf Em Nord)
(ERA-E 61C3; ERA-R 111A4; S+W 168B2) DE25/634
This curve via Stuttgart Nord Gbf connects the S-Bahn line from Stuttgart-Feuerbach with the Gäubahn towards Horb, avoiding Stuttgart Hbf. An additional S15 service between Bietigheim-Bissingen and Böblingen was scheduled during recent years as a result of extensive "Stuttgart-21" engineering works but the service did not run as often as expected owing to staff and rolling stock shortages.
Beimerstetten (Ulm Hbf Em Nord) – Ulm Rbf
[750] (ERA-E 59B4; ERA-R 119B4; S+W 163C2-163D2) DE25/635
This route enables trains to run between the Stuttgart line and Ulm Rbf (adjacent to the line to Sigmaringen) without reversal at Ulm Hbf and is very rarely used by passenger services, however occasionally in recent years IRE and RB trains between Ulm and Stuttgart have been diverted via Ulm Rbf, where they reversed.