Green light for cross-border local transport in the Fehmarnbelt!

Green light for cross-border local transport in the Fehmarnbelt!

On June 15, 2025, the Advisory Board of the Fehmarnbelt Committee signed an important position paper on the expansion of local rail passenger transport in the Fehmarnbelt region. How hl-live.de reports, the paper is aimed at politicians and decision-makers in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and Denmark with the clear aim of establishing attractive, cross-border local transport. In this way, those responsible want to bring the region closer together and facilitate exchange between the countries.

The core concerns of the position paper are the regular hourly service between Lübeck and Nykøbing/Falster as well as an uncomplicated ticket system that provides for bridgehead tariffs. Another key concern is the introduction of affordable ticket prices without additional tunnel surcharges. The members of the Fehmarnbelt Committee, including mayors and district administrators, see an urgent need for political commitments and financial support in order to successfully implement the plans.

Critical voices and lack of planning

The discussion is accompanied by concerns about the neglect of local rail passenger transport between Lübeck/Ostholstein and Lolland/Nykøbing/Falster. So far there is no reliable planning for cross-border local rail passenger transport, which complicates the situation. To address these challenges, a Danish-German specialist working group was set up to discuss the future usability of the rail infrastructure.

The Fehmarnbelt Committee, which was founded in 2009, is made up of 29 local authorities, associations and organizations from Germany and Denmark. This shows how broad the commitment to the integration of the Fehmarnbelt region is. With the upcoming construction of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel, whose construction began in 2021 and is scheduled to open in 2029, local rail passenger transport will also be included in the overall concept.

Importance for cross-border traffic

The creation of a cross-border local transport system not only has a local connection, but also a bridge to the supra-regional transport offerings in Germany. Cross-border local passenger transport in Germany offers a variety of lines and connections that run regularly between different cities and regions. These include regional trains and buses, which make an important contribution to mobility in this region near the border.

How Wikipedia notes, many companies, such as DB or Eurobahn, are actively involved in cross-border transport and offer numerous connections between Germany and its neighboring countries. Against this background, it is clear that the Fehmarnbelt Committee's position paper is an important piece of the puzzle in mobility development, which is of great importance not only for the region, but also for Germany's entire connection to Denmark.

The coming years will show whether those responsible will be able to put the concerns of the position paper into practice and thus ensure reliable and attractive local transport in the Fehmarnbelt region.