The Mitteldeutsche Regiobahn (MRB) has acknowledged considerable problems on the Leipzig-Chemnitz line and promised to alleviate them. The current situation is "by no means satisfactory and we expressly apologize to our passengers," the company explained on Tuesday in response to a dpa inquiry. The reasons given for the frequent delays and train cancellations included a very high sickness rate, delays in repairing a locomotive and railcars broken down following accidents. The single-track nature of the line is also disadvantageous for operations in the event of disruptions.
Features are growing among passengers on Regional Express Line 6 due to frequent train cancellations and delays. According to Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS), 28 trains have been canceled since the beginning of the month for operational and personnel reasons alone, in addition to further cancellations due to roadworks. Member of the Bundestag Detlef Müller (SPD) spoke of "untenable conditions" at the beginning of the week and the VMS says it is considering legal action.
According to Mitteldeutscher Regiobahn, passenger volumes on the line have also increased significantly as a result of the Deutschlandticket. Since its introduction, there have been around 30 percent more passengers on the route. This has already led to a very high utilization of the scheduled seating capacity, which is close to the capacity limits. The company now wants to relieve the situation by hiring additional railcars and a replacement locomotive. Work is also continuing on the training of train drivers. Due to the strong competition in the industry, however, there is a high fluctuation. In the last few weeks alone, five train drivers have transferred to the Erzgebirgsbahn.
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