Suche
Mein Konto
Express bus between Colmar and Breisach: A glimmer of hope for commuters!
Transnational project to create fast connections between Breisach and Colmar: focus on trains and buses.
Express bus between Colmar and Breisach: A glimmer of hope for commuters!
A transnational project that has been on the political agenda for years could soon make significant progress. According to a report by context Thibaud Philipps, vice-president of the Grand Est region, has announced that an express bus between Colmar and Breisach will be put into operation by September 2024. This would be a welcome opportunity to reduce travel time from an hour to almost half.
This project is supported by the Trans Rhin Rail initiative as well as the German Transport Club (VCD) and the French umbrella association of transport users (FNAUT). While the implementation of the express bus progresses, the revival of the railway line between Freiburg and Colmar remains an uncertain matter. The expansion of this railway line is part of the German-French state treaty of 2019.
Delays and challenges
But not everything goes smoothly. There are already delays and the earliest implementation of the express bus could now be pushed back to the end of 2024. Loud Black Forest messenger The federal government has not yet made any cost commitments and has not registered the project for EU funding, which is putting a strain on the financial basis for the pending railway expansion.
The railway project, which was interrupted in 1945, is of great importance for the region and is viewed as a symbol of German-French reconciliation. Feasibility studies show a lot of potential for commuter traffic, while the railway line has not been in operation since 1980. The challenges include different voltages and signaling systems that hinder transnational rail traffic.
Political and regional initiatives
The Freiburg Green member of the state parliament, Nadyne Saint-Cast, has clearly spoken out in favor of the establishment of the express bus and, together with other political actors, is constantly campaigning for the expansion of the railway. A joint steering committee in Strasbourg has already decided to review the cost estimation plans, while a new study to reassess construction costs is due to be ready by spring 2026. This could be groundbreaking for the entire project.
Commuters are currently benefiting from a new night train that has been running three times a week between Berlin and Paris since the end of 2023, as well as a new ICE that will connect the two capitals daily via Strasbourg, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt am Main from December 2024. At the same time, the regional rail connection between Müllheim and Mulhouse, which is historically important, has been in operation again since 2012 after existing until 1980.
In summary, it can be seen that the path to the rail project is characterized by numerous political and bureaucratic hurdles. Nevertheless, there remains hope for better connections between France and Germany - and that the horizon does not end at the Rhine.