Train chaos in Frankfurt: S3, S4 and S5 completely closed from November 7th!

Train chaos in Frankfurt: S3, S4 and S5 completely closed from November 7th!

The next few weeks will present some challenges for commuters and travelers in the Rhine-Main area. From November 7th to November 18th, 2025, the railway line between Frankfurt and Rödelheim will be completely closed due to extensive construction work. During this period, the S-Bahn lines S3, S4 and S5 will be completely canceled, making commuting in and around Frankfurt significantly more difficult. These measures are part of the planned repair and modernization of the infrastructure by Deutsche Bahn, which fnp.de examines in detail.

The construction work, which began on October 31, 2025, also affects the regional train lines RB15 and RB16. Switches and overhead lines will be replaced between Frankfurt West/Rödelheim and Friedrichsdorf, meaning that Friedrichsdorf station will not be served during the entire construction period. Commuters and travelers therefore have to temporarily switch to replacement buses in order to reach their destinations in Frankfurt. This information is also confirmed by fr.de.

Replacement traffic and restrictions

In order to compensate for the resulting cancellations, various replacement bus routes are being set up. The lines S3E, S3X, S4X, S15X and S16X provide connections from places such as Bad Soden, Kronberg and Eschborn to Frankfurt. Stops for the replacement buses include the Festhalle/Messe subway station, the main train station and the Taunusanlage. The Alt-Rödelheim stop will become the central hub for replacement traffic, where buses will depart at regular intervals:

• Festhalle: alle paar Minuten
• Hauptbahnhof: alle fünf Minuten
• Taunusanlage: alle zehn Minuten

This was communicated in detail by [Deutsche Bahn].

For travelers to the trade fair, such as Formnext on November 18th, an additional bus shuttle has been organized between the City entrance and Hall 11 to make access easier for visitors despite the construction work. Unfortunately, no alternative transport is offered for the Galluswarte and Messe stops, which can cause additional stress.

This is how it goes

From November 19th to December 3rd, the S5 will once again operate on a limited schedule. From approximately Rödelheim, the line only runs every 30 minutes to Frankfurt-Süd, and the northern sections are again not served. At the same time, the S6 will continue to run long trains every 15 minutes. In order to keep track of the changes, the RMV provides timetables for the replacement bus routes on its official website.

The current measures are all part of a larger plan to strengthen the rail network in the Taunus to ensure reliability and safety in rail traffic. Travelers now have no choice but to prepare for this uncomfortable phase and take appropriate precautions.