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Essen-Dortmund railway line: running on time again from Friday!
The railway line between Essen and Dortmund will be reopened on October 31st. Construction work ensures trains are more punctual.
Essen-Dortmund railway line: running on time again from Friday!
The train journey between Essen and Dortmund is getting a new look! The route, which has been closed since the beginning of September due to extensive construction work, will be reopened to traffic on Friday evening, October 31st, at around 9 p.m. Loud Radio Essen the work went according to plan. The renewal of rails, sleepers and switches on a stretch of around five kilometers is crucial for the impending release. The goal? A quieter, more stable and, above all, more punctual train journey for commuters and travelers.
The construction phase brought with it some diversions and replacement traffic. Various regional and S-Bahn lines were affected. Instead of the usual trains, buses were used, which was a significant change for the affected passengers. However, the railway communicated this well. The S-Bahn tracks remained accessible during the week, while closures took place at the weekend. In addition, stop cancellations were recorded in Bochum Hbf and Wattenscheid, where it was necessary to change to alternative means of transport, such as the U 35 subway line between Bochum Hbf and Herne. How the Deutsche Bahn reports, the RegionalExpress 1 will be rerouted between Dortmund Hbf and Essen Hbf and will have an additional stop in Herne, while other lines such as the RE 6 will also be canceled between the two cities.
The transport transition and its challenges
In view of the current challenges in public transport, the transport transition in Germany is necessary. After all, the government is aiming to strengthen trains and buses in order to reduce emissions and reduce the number of traffic deaths. Around 2,800 people die in traffic accidents every year, which requires serious consideration of what future mobility should look like. Reduced noise pollution for residents and improved quality of life in cities are other important points of this strategy Statista summarizes.
In recent years, rail transport, although it only accounts for around 10% of total traffic, has increased in use. Punctuality in particular plays a crucial role for passengers. More than 30% of working people use public transport to get to work, a trend that could continue to solidify in the coming years. An increase in passenger numbers in public buses and trains is forecast for 2024, which could almost reach the record numbers of 2019.
The coming weeks after the reopening of the railway line between Essen and Dortmund could be a real test case for the positive effects of the investments made in the infrastructure. We can be curious to see how the situation will develop and whether the promises of more stable and punctual journeys actually apply to everyday commuter journeys.