Germany (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) - 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
Waren (Müritz) (Lalendorf Ost) – Plaaz
[205 Nord] (ERA-E 44B3; ERA-R 85C1; S+W 15B3-15C3) DE25/101
This route is used by IC trains between Berlin and Rostock, which are not booked to call at Güstrow. These generally run every two hours. RE5 services run via Güstrow so do not use this route. Note that until 8 March 2025 IC services are diverted via Schwerin, so do not use this route.
Stralsund Rügendamm – Wüstenfelde (Abzw Srg)
[190] (ERA-E 44C4; ERA-R 86B3; S+W 6A1) DE25/102
This east to south curve is used by trains between the island of Rügen and the Pasewalk or Neubrandenburg lines, if not booked to call at Stralsund Hbf.
Since the diversion of overnight trains between Malmö and Berlin to run via Padborg there has been no regular passenger use of this curve, but it is used occasionally by diverted trains to and from Rügen when Stralsund Hbf is unavailable. This occurs between 7 and 20 June 2025, when RE3 ((Lutherstadt Wittenberg – Berlin – Stralsund Hbf via Greifswald), RE5 ((Berlin –) Oranienburg – Stralsund Hbf via Neubrandenburg) and RE51 (Neustrelitz – Stralsund Hbf) services are diverted over this curve to terminate at and start from Stralsund Rügendamm. RE3 is diverted for the entire period between 7 and 20 June, but RE5 only on 7 & 8 and 14-20 June, and RE51 on variable days but broadly similar to RE5.
Note that RE5 will not run through to/from Berlin during this period but only to/from Oranienburg with passengers to use the S-Bahn to reach central Berlin.
This curve may also be used by trips from or via Berlin to Rügen, including those to the Störtebeker Festspiele, held on Rügen throughout the summer each year, although some of these trains may instead run via Stralsund Hbf. Check for excursions operated by Pressnitztalbahn, Lausitzer Dampflok Club (LDC) and Dampflokfreunde Berlin (Berlin macht Dampf), among others.
Papendorf / Kavelstorf (Abzw Dalwitzhof) – Rostock-Kassebohm (Abzw Rostock Warnowbrücke West)
[100] (S+W 123 B3) DE25/103
This south to east route enables trains to run between the Schwerin or Neustrelitz lines and the Stralsund line without having to reverse at Rostock Hbf. There are separate connections from the Schwerin and Neustrelitz lines to Abzw Dalwitzhof Nordkopf.
The route to and from the Neustrelitz line is used by diverted IC/ICE services between Berlin and Stralsund when the line via Pasewalk is unavailable. Note that RE3 and RE5 services are usually unaffected and continue to run via Neubrandenburg and Prenzlau respectively.
The route to and from the Schwerin line is used by diverted ICE services between Hamburg and Stralsund. This can be discerned by services not calling at Rostock Hbf. This occurs on Saturday 22 February 2025 when all such ICE services run this way.
