Germany (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable dated from 10 December 2023 to 14 December 2024, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained here.

Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). References prefixed "ERA-E" refer to the European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "ERA-R" refer to the European Railway Atlas (Regional Series: Book 2) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "S+W", or in italic, refer to Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland by Schweers + Wall.

Obscure services

Waren (Müritz) (Lalendorf Ost) – Plaaz

[205 Nord] (ERA-E 44B3; ERA-R 85C1; S+W 15B3-15C3) DE24/101

This route is used by IC trains between Berlin and Rostock, which are not booked to call at Güstrow. These generally run every two hours. RE5 services run via Güstrow so do not use this route.

Stralsund Rügendamm – Wüstenfelde (Abzw Srg)

[190] (ERA-E 44C4; ERA-R 86B3; S+W 6A1) DE24/102

This east to south curve is used by trains between the island of Rügen and the Pasewalk or Neubrandenburg lines, if not booked to call at Stralsund Hbf.

Now that overnight trains between Malmö and Berlin run via Padborg there is no regular passenger use of this curve.

The curve is used occasionally by diverted trains to and from Rügen when Stralsund Hbf is unavailable. It has also been used in the past by trips from Berlin to the Störtebeker Festspiele, held on Rügen throughout the summer each year, but in 2023 their website merely linked to regular services on the DB journey planner.

Papendorf / Kavelstorf (Abzw Dalwitzhof) – Rostock-Kassebohm (Abzw Rostock Warnowbrücke West)

[100] (S+W 123 B3) DE24/103

This south to east route enables trains to run between the Schwerin or Neustrelitz lines and the Stralsund line without having to reverse at Rostock Hbf. There are separate connections from the Schwerin and Neustrelitz lines to Abzw Dalwitzhof Nordkopf.

The route to and from the Schwerin line is used by diverted IC/ICE services between Hamburg and Stralsund. This last occurred in September 2023 when all IC/ICE services on this route did not call at Rostock Hbf.

Until 2022, it was also used by a pair of Urlaubs Express services between Lörrach Hbf and Ostseebad Binz. However since then, these services have only run between Lörrach and Hamburg-Altona.

The route to and from the Neustrelitz line is occasionally used by diverted IC/ICE services between Berlin and Stralsund. This occurs on the weekends of 16/17 and 23/24 March 2024. Note that RE3 and RE5 services are unaffected and continue to run via Neubrandenburg and Prenzlau respectively.