Deutsche Bahn extends long-distance connections with timetable change

With the timetable change next weekend, Deutsche Bahn is expanding its long-distance connections. According to the company, this will create more new connections than at any time in the last 20 years. There will be more and faster connections between major cities and significantly more seats. The regions of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia will also benefit. The new timetable will apply from Sunday (December 10).

The passenger association Pro Bahn sees the changes as positive in that there are almost no cuts. "However, we would be happy if the services that are already in the timetable were provided first," said Markus Haubold, Deputy Chairman of Pro Bahn Mitteldeutschland. There are regularly major cancellations due to staffing problems, among other things. In addition, there are many construction sites with full closures.

Berlin-Munich via Halle and Erfurt

In future, there will be up to eleven new journeys a day between Halle and Erfurt in the direction of Berlin and Nuremberg/Munich respectively. This would mean almost hourly services in both directions, with a journey time from Halle to Munich of 2:45 hours.

Leipzig via Jena to Nuremberg and Karlsruhe

According to Deutsche Bahn, more Intercity trains will soon be running on the route from Leipzig via Nuremberg to Baden-Württemberg. The service will be increased from the current one trip per day to five trips per day and direction. This will significantly shorten the journey time compared to regional express trains.

Magdeburg-Hamburg, Magdeburg-Berlin, Magdeburg-Rostock

The state capital of Saxony-Anhalt, Magdeburg, will be better connected to the major cities in the north. There is a new connection between Magdeburg and Hamburg without changing trains, reducing the journey time by 30 minutes. The journey time to Rostock will be reduced by 90 minutes thanks to a new connection. The Magdeburg-Berlin route will be supplemented by another Intercity train.

Night trains

In future, a new night train will run three times a week from Berlin via Halle and Erfurt to Brussels and on to Paris. The night train from Berlin to Austria will no longer travel via Poland in future, but via Dresden, so that Saxony's state capital will be connected to the route.