It is a major construction site that will put many people in the Rhine-Main area to a severe test of patience in the coming weeks: The four-track expansion of the rail line between Frankfurt (West) and Bad Vilbel is entering the next phase. For this, the line will have to be completely closed from July 9 to September 4. There will be restrictions on S-Bahn, regional and long-distance services during this period. In some cases, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will replace its trains with buses. In addition, there will be detour and train cancellations.
Affected in particular are all those who travel with the S6. This does not operate for eight weeks between Frankfurt West and Bad Vilbel. On weekends, it also does not run between Bad Vilbel and Groß-Karben. Instead, DB is offering two rail replacement services with buses. One is the express bus (S6X), which runs daily between Bad Vilbel and Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof and stops only at Bad Vilbel, Bad Vilbel Süd and Konstablerwache in Frankfurt. On weekends and from July 19 to 29, the express bus already runs from Groß Karben and also stops in Dortelweil. On the other hand, a regional bus (S6E), which travels between Groß Karben, Bad Vilbel, Frankfurt West and stops near each S-Bahn station. For the stations Frankfurter Berg and Eschersheim, the bus stops at Preungesheim, Hügelstraße and Bockenheimer Warte, each at the subway station.
For traffic reasons, some replacement stops are also not directly at the station. In Berkersheim, for example, the replacement bus uses the existing bus stop "Berkersheim Mitte". In Frankfurt West, the replacement bus stop is located in Hamburger Allee. Both replacement bus lines run every 30 minutes with fixed travel times, each with a connection to the S-Bahn in Bad Vilbel or Groß-Karben. Attention: Bicycle transport is not possible in the replacement buses!
All connection options as well as the location of the replacement bus stops are available in the electronic information media of the railroad and RMV such as www.rmv.de or www.bahn.de.
In addition, RMV is making a total of 100 rental bikes from the company nextbike available to its passengers until July 4. Anyone who borrows or returns one of the bikes at the Bad Vilbel, Bad Vilbel Süd, Berkersheim, Frankfurter Berg, Ginnheim, Eschersheim or Frankfurt West stations will automatically receive 180 free minutes. Interested parties must register for this once with nextbike.
In regional traffic, there will be extended travel times and detours via Hanau. Due to the limited track and platform capacities, many regional trains can not go through to Frankfurt, but already end in Hanau. Travelers heading to Frankfurt will have to change trains there to take the S-Bahn or other regional trains. The S-Bahn is extending its service especially for this purpose and is also running the S8 line at quarter-hourly intervals from and to Hanau from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the closure. Annual pass holders of the RMV can also use the long-distance trains (IC/ICE) for the routes between Frankfurt and Hanau or Friedberg and Hanau.
On the part of DB, the following regional transport lines in particular are affected by the impact:
RB 34 between Glauburg-Stockheim, Bad Vilbel and Frankfurt
The trains of the line RB34 run hourly only between Glauburg-Stockheim and Bad Vilbel or. Niederdorfelden with changed travel times. A rail replacement service has been set up between Bad Vilbel and Frankfurt. On weekends until August 21, the trips of the line 34 on the complete running route between Frankfurt and Niederdorfelden are replaced by a rail replacement service.
RE 30 between Kassel, Treysa, Marburg, Giessen and Frankfurt
The trains of the line RE30 are diverted via Hanau and run from there with a stop at Frankfurt Ostbahnhof to Frankfurt Südbahnhof. Individual trips can also go via Hanau directly to Frankfurt Central Station.
RB 40/41 between Dillenburg, Wetzlar resp. Treysa, Marburg, Giessen and Frankfurt
The trains of the lines RB40/41 end in Hanau main station and drive to all stops between Friedberg and Hanau. In return, the trains of the RB49 line are cancelled on this section. Individual trains of the lines RB40/41 can also pass through from and to Frankfurt main station.
RB 48 between Nidda, Friedberg and Frankfurt
Till 4. September the line ends in Friedberg. Passengers can alternatively use the trains of the lines RE30, RB 40/41, RE 98/99 or the S-Bahn line S6.
RB 49 between Giessen, Friedberg and Hanau
The trains of the RB49 run only between Giessen and Friedberg. They are cancelled between Friedberg and Hanau. Passengers can use here alternatively the trains of the line RB 40/41, which between Friedberg and Hanau all en route stops.
As the route between Frankfurt and Hanau is very busy due to the diverted trains, there are also individual cancellations or changed times for other regional trains on this section of the route. RMV and DB therefore recommend that all passengers always check the electronic information media for connections before starting their journey (www.bahn.de / www.rmv.de). All timetable changes are stored in the electronic information media.
The long-distance trains of the ICE line Hamburg-Kassel-Frankfurt-Karlsruhe will also be diverted via Hanau and Frankfurt South. The stops at Frankfurt West and Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof will be cancelled. The trains of the IC connection Münster-Dortmund-Siegen-Frankfurt begin and end mostly in Friedberg and are cancelled between Friedberg and Frankfurt. Again, all travel options can be found in the DB Navigator or www.bahn.de.
