Germany (Baden-Württemberg) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services
Introduction
This list is based on the timetable dated from 11 December 2022 to 9 December 2023, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.
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 - Germany) 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) DE23/601
Most trains between Mannheim-Waldhof and Mannheim Hbf run via Mannheim-Luzenberg. However, several local trains run via Käfertal, far more than in recent years, some of which take a circular route via Käfertal and Luzenberg or v.v.:
SSuX | S38767 | Biblis – 06:39 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf – Groß Rohrheim | |
SSuX | S38769 | Biblis – 07:36 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S38771 | Biblis – 08:38 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
D1 | SSuO | S38779 | Biblis – 10:01 Mannheim-Käfertal – Mannheim Hbf |
D1 | SSuO | S38781 | Biblis – 11:01 Mannheim-Käfertal – Mannheim Hbf |
SSuX | S38773 | Biblis – 17:21 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf | |
D2 | SSuX / Daily | S38775 | Biblis – 18:28 Lampertheim / 18:36 Mannheim-Waldhof (when daily) – Mannheim Hbf |
D1 | S38775 | 18:44 Mannheim-Waldhof – Mannheim Hbf | |
SSuX | S38777 | Biblis – 19:31 Lampertheim – Mannheim Hbf – Groß Rohrheim | |
D1 | SSuO | S38783 | Biblis – 19:37 Mannheim-Waldhof – Mannheim Hbf |
SSuX | S38766 | Worms Hbf – 05:11 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S38768 | Groß Rohrheim – 06:12 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
SSuX | S38770 | Mainz Hbf – 07:08 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
D1 | S38760 | 08:14 Mannheim Hbf – Mannheim-Waldhof | |
D1 | SSuO | S38778 | 08:50 Mannheim Hbf – Mannheim-Waldhof |
SSuX | S38772 | Groß Rohrheim – 16:12 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis | |
D2 | SSuX / Daily | S38166 | 17:08 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis |
D1 | SSuO | S38776 | Groß Rohrheim – 18:12 Mannheim Hbf – Biblis |
D1: 14 April - 8 October 2023
D2: SSuX 12 December 2022 - 13 April 2023, daily 14 April - 8 December 2023
From 14 April until 9 October 2023, there is also an hourly shuttle service for most of the day between Mannheim-Waldhof and Mannheim-Käfertal only. These extra services are in connection with the 2023 German national garden show which is being held in north-east Mannheim.
A permanent hourly S-Bahn service is planned to run via this route from 2026, whereupon this entry will be removed.
The TGV and ICE trains between Frankfurt am Main and Paris via Saarbrücken also run via Mannheim-Käfertal, in order to avoid reversal at Mannheim Hbf.
In addition, the following two ICE services run this way and reverse at Mannheim Hbf.
SX | ICE775 | Berlin-Gesundbrunnen - 23:24 Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen Fernbf - Karlsruhe Hbf / Basel Bad Bf (MO) | |
SO | ICE877 | Berlin Ostbahnhof - 23:24 Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen Fernbf - Karlsruhe Hbf |
Appenweier – Legelshurst (Appenweier Kurve)
[719] (ERA-E 58B4; ERA-R 117C5; S+W 102C1) DE23/602
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.
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) DE23/603
This north to east curve connects the Heidelberg to Karlsruhe main line with the Mannheim to Stuttgart Schnellfahrstrecke. It is used by frequent EC/IC/ICE trains non-stop between Heidelberg Hbf and Vaihingen (Enz) or Stuttgart Hbf.
Bruchsal (Abzw Bruchsal Nord) – Vaihingen (Enz) (Abzw Rollenberg)
[770, 771.Fv] (ERA-E 53C1; ERA-R 82A2; S+W 161B1) DE23/604
This south to east curve connects the Heidelberg to Karlsruhe main line with the Mannheim to Stuttgart Schnellfahrstrecke. It is used by EC/IC/ICE/TGV trains 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) DE23/605
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).
All trains to and from the Bretten line now run to and from Bruchsal only and mainly arrive and depart from bay platform 6, which is adjacent to platform 1, so use the 'short curve'.
The only services to use platforms 4 or 5 in the direction of Bretten are the two-hourly RE17b trains to Mühlacker. These depart at 30 minutes past each odd hour between 09:30 and 21:30, with the exception of 11:30 where the departure is at 11:28 (RE19645). The xx:30 departures are expected to use the 'long curve' to avoid conflict with RE73 services to Karlsruhe which also depart at 30 minutes past each hour from platform 4. The off-pattern 11:28 departure was reported in March 2023 to have used the 'short curve' but in June 2023 to have used the 'long curve'.
In the other direction RE17b trains use platform 2b and therefore the 'short curve'.
Enzberg (Abzw Mühlacker Süd) – Ötisheim (Abzw Mühlacker Nord)
[772] (ERA-E 58C5; ERA-R 82B3; S+W 94A2) DE23/606
This west to north curve links the Pforzheim and Bretten lines, avoiding Mühlacker, and is used on Sundays and public holidays from 30 April to mid-October by trains between Pforzheim Hbf and Maulbronn Stadt/Kloster shown in Kursbuch Table 772.
- From Pforzheim Hbf: 10:32, 13:32, 16:32
- From Maulbronn West: 11:08, 16:08, 17:08
Leopoldshafen Frankfurter Straße – KIT-Campus Nord
[710.1 not shown] (ERA-E 58C5 not shown; ERA-R 82A1; S+W 160C2) DE23/607
This branch off the S1/S11 Hochstetten line of the Albtalbahn is used by services for workers at KIT Campus, part of Karlsruher Institut für Technologie. Although trains to and from KIT-Campus Nord are shown in the KVV timetable, downloadable as a PDF, note C states that entry to the establishment is permitted only with an official identification card.
Reports indicate that passengers without authority to enter the complex will be removed from the train at a makeshift concrete platform in the woods outside the perimeter fence, and collected on the train's return.
However on 17 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.
Details are on the KIT website, under "Wissenswertes/Anfahrt mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln. The only information given about timings is that the last return train is at 19:29.
Laupheim Stadt avoiding line: Laupheim West – Schemmerberg
[751] (ERA-E 59B3; ERA-R 119A4; S+W 105A3) DE23/608
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) DE23/609
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. Note that despite the morning departure not appearing on the departure sheets for Karlsruhe Hbf, it is confirmed as running from the Hbf as shown in the DB journey planner.
Note | SuO | S85699 / S FEX | Odenheim – Karlsruhe Hbf – 09:38 Ettlingen West – Bad Herrenalb |
Note | SuO | S FEX / S85698 | Bad Herrenalb – 17:16 Ettlingen Stadt – Karlsruhe Hbf – Menzingen (Baden) |
Note: These trains run as S FEX between Karlsruhe Hbf and Bad Herrenalb and as S31/S32 between Karlsruhe Hbf and Odenheim / Menzingen respectively.
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) DE23/610
Trains to and from Gammertingen use the DB station at Hechingen except for:
SSuX | HzL86309 | 06:59 Hechingen Landesbahn - Gammertingen | |
SSuX | HzL86344 | Sigmaringen - 20:46 Schlatt - Hechingen Landesbahn |
Schliengen – Haltingen
[702] (ERA-E 58A2-58B2; ERA-R 117B2; S+W 110A2-110A3) DE23/611
Trains with no stops between Müllheim (Baden) and Weil am Rhein run via the new Katzenberg Tunnel. These are mainly EC/IC/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.
Vaihingen (Enz) (Langes Feld) – Stuttgart-Zazenhausen
[750, 770] (ERA-E 61C3 not shown; ERA-R 111A4; S+W 168B1-168B2) DE23/631
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. This occurs on the weekend of 25 and 26 March and between 9 June and 28 July 2023 by the two-hourly IC services between Karlsruhe and Nürnberg (and v.v.) which run this way to Esslingen (Neckar) and reverse there, then travelling via the curve to Stuttgart Abzw Nürnberger Straße (DE23/633) to gain the line towards Crailsheim.
Note that the eastbound and westbound lines are quite widely separated at the Zazenhausen end.
Ludwigsburg – Stuttgart-Zazenhausen via Kornwestheim Rbf
[790.11] (ERA-E 61C3 not shown); ERA-R 111A4; S+W 168B1-168B2) DE23/632
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) DE23/633
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 is used on the weekend of 25 and 26 March and between 9 June and 28 July 2023 by the two-hourly IC services between Karlsruhe and Nürnberg (and v.v.) which run via Stuttgart Langes Feld – Zazenhausen (DE23/631) to Esslingen (Neckar) and reverse 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) DE23/634
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 extensive "Stuttgart-21" engineering works and although confirmed as running in mid-August 2022, it was later cancelled for various reasons including staff and rolling-stock shortages.
Beimerstetten (Ulm Hbf Em Nord) – Ulm Rbf
[750] (ERA-E 59B4; ERA-R 119B4; S+W 163C2-163D2) DE23/635
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 the last few years IRE and RB trains between Ulm and Stuttgart have been diverted via Ulm Rbf, where they reversed.