Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable in force until 10 December 2011, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.

In the heading to each entry the map reference for the line in the Schweers+Wall Eisenbahn Atlas (2007/2008 edition) is shown, in italic, in addition to the reference to M.G. Ball's European Railway Atlas.

Obscure services

Minden (Westf) – Hamm (via Goods Line)

[370,400] (25A1, 41C1-52B1) DE11/351

Hamm to Minden is the longest quadruple line in Germany. Between Bielefeld and Gütersloh the goods lines fly over the passenger lines, and between Heessen and Ahlen they dive under. The goods lines are sometimes used by relief trains between Hannover and the Ruhr in order to overtake stopping services. They are also used when engineering work is taking place on the main line, which may be indicated by stopping trains being advertised not to call at certain stations.

Heesen - Gelsenkirchen-Buer Nord (via Hamm Rbf and Recklinghausen Ost)

(38B3 to 38A3, 52B1 to 51B2) DE11/352

This is an east-west freight line to the north of the Ruhr connurbation. The only passenger train to use it is the Euhotra Hotel train www2.euhotra.eu on its Thursday night journeys from Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen to Basel.

Oberhausen-Osterfeld Süd (Oberhausen Grafenbusch) - Oberhausen-Sterkrade

(33B3, 137A2) DE11/353

This east to north curve connects the Bottrop and Emmerich lines north of Oberhausen. The only passenger train to use it is the Euhotra Hotel train www2.euhotra.eu on its Thursday night journeys from Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen to Basel.

Dortmund Aplerbeck Süd (Abzw Schwerte Heide) – Fröndenberg (Schwerte Ost)

[438] (35A1, 139C3) DE11/354

This north to east curve connects the Dortmund and Brilon Wald lines east of Schwerte (Ruhr). It is used by through trains between Dortmund Hbf and Bestwig, Brilon Wald or Winterberg (Westf), approximately hourly, except RB10979 23:23 from Dortmund Hbf, which reverses at Schwerte (Ruhr).

Hagen-Vorhalle – Hattingen (Ruhr)

(34A2 to 35A1, 138B4-139A4) DE11/355

This route is a DB AG freight line from Hagen-Vorhalle to Wengern Ost and a tourist line thence to Hattingen (Ruhr), operated by DGEG Bahnen und Reisen Bochum AG. There is a regular, but sparse, passenger service on Fridays and Sundays between 6 May and 16 October 2011, except on days when steam trains operate. See www.ruhrtalbahn.de.

E	FSuO		08:50, 12:20 & 15:50 Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen – Hagen Hbf
E	FSuO		10:21, 13:47 & 17:23 Hagen Hbf - Eisenbahnmuseum Bochum-Dahlhausen

Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal – Kalkum

[450.1] (33A1, 140D2) DE11/355

The original Düsseldorf Flughafen station, now known as Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal, is at the end of a short branch off the main line from Düsseldorf to Duisburg. Since the new Düsseldorf Flughafen station opened on the main line on 28 May 2000, there has been no direct S-Bahn service between the old station and Duisburg. The only train now to use the west to north curve off the branch to Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal is

SSuX

RE10162

Dortmund Hbf – 03:23 Duisburg Hbf – Düsseldorf Hbf

Düsseldorf Hbf (Abzw Düsseldorf-Berg) – Düsseldorf-Eller (Abzw Düsseldorf-Sturm)

(33B1 not shown, 141A4) DE11/356

The S-Bahn line between Düsseldorf Hbf and Düsseldorf-Eller crosses over the main line so that trains can access platforms on the west side of the Hauptbahnhof. This connection is off the east side of the main line, south of Düsseldorf Hbf. It is used by the AutoZüge routed via Hilden and Opladen (DE11/357).

Hilden – Köln-Mülheim (via Opladen and Leverkusen-Morsbroich)

(33B1-36A3, 141B4-147C4) DE11/357

This is a freight route between Düsseldorf and Köln, which is used by a few AutoZüge, shown as via Düsseldorf-Eller.

Neuss avoiding line: Neuss am Kaiser (Abzw Erftkanal) – Meerbusch-Osterath (Abzw Weißenberg)

[495] (33A1, 141C3) DE11/358

This east to north curve is used by trains between Düsseldorf Hbf and Krefeld not calling at Neuss Hbf. These comprise the half-hourly (hourly at weekends) service between Düsseldorf Hbf and Kleve.

Neuss Pbf - Neuss am Kaiser (Abzw Erftkanal)

[415, 450.8, 481, 485] (33A1, 141C3) DE11/359

Neuss station is in two parts, east and west, with separate approach tracks to each from the Düsseldorf, Grevenbroich and Köln lines. All S-Bahn trains, plus services RE4 (Aachen – Dortmund) and RE13 (Venlo – Hamm), use the west side. Other trains, including all of those to and from Krefeld, use the east side. Therefore, most trains between Düsseldorf and Neuss use the west side, the exceptions using the east side being RE38 trains to and from Grevenbroich, plus long-distance trains routed via Köln and Neuss:

	SuO	IC2412	Frankfurt am Main Hbf/16:29 Köln Hbf – Hamburg-Altona
D	SuO	IC2400	17:26 Köln Hbf – Hamburg-Altona

Köln-Mülheim (Abzw Berliner Straße) – Porz (Rhein) (via Köln-Kalk Nord)

(36A3, 146C2-148D2) DE11/360

This route enables trains to run between Solingen or Düsseldorf and Bonn-Beuel without passing through Köln Messe/Deutz or Köln Hbf. It is used by most AutoZüge to and from Düsseldorf and by:

D

SO

IC2018

Stuttgart Hbf - 09:41 Koblenz Hbf – Norddeich Mole

Köln-Mülheim (Abzw Berliner Straße) – Köln Süd (via Köln-Kalk Nord and Abzw Südbrücke)

(36A3, 146C2-146A4) DE11/361

This route around the east and south sides of Köln is used by the following trains between Köln and Düsseldorf or Solingen in order to avoid reversal at Köln Hbf. Both of these trains cross the Südbrücke after stopping at Köln Hbf, EN446 to set down only.

D		EN446	Warszawa Wschodnia – 00:12 Berlin Hbf – Amsterdam Centraal
		EN447	Amsterdam Centraal – 22:28 Köln Hbf – Warszawa Wschodnia

The following train (which runs instead of EN446 from 22 July until 20 August 2011) also uses this route, but only between Abzw Berliner Straße and Köln-Kalk. It then approaches Köln Hbf via the Hohenzollernbrücke.

E

EN436

Warszawa Wschodnia – 00:12 Berlin Hbf – Amsterdam Centraal

The following train uses this route, but only between Köln-Kalk and Köln Süd.

D

MO

ICE948

Berlin Ostbahnhof - 05:43 Köln Hbf - Köln/Bonn Flughafen

Köln-Mülheim (Abzw Berliner Straße) – Köln-Eifeltor (via Köln-Kalk Nord and Abzw Südbrücke)

(36A3, 146C2-146A4) DE11/362

This is the route via the Südbrücke, with the south-facing curve onto the Rhein west bank main line. It is used by the AutoZüge from Düsseldorf Hbf to Trieste Centrale on Fridays during the summer.

Köln Süd – Troisdorf (via Abzw Südbrücke and Gremberg Rbf)

[465] (36A3, 146A4-148D2) DE11/363

This route over the Südbrücke enables trains via Bonn-Beuel or the Frankfurt Schnellfahrstrecke to arrive and depart at the west end of Köln Hbf:

D	FO	D2429	Dortmund Hbf – 12:03 Köln Hbf – Eltville
E	SO	DZ13408	17:03 Livorno Centrale - 's-Hertogenbosch

Köln-Ehrenfeld – Köln West

(36A3, 146A3) DE11/364

This west to south curve links the Aachen and Koblenz lines west of Köln Hbf.

H	FO	DZ13421	Essen (BE) - 00:09 SO Verviers Centrale - Zell am See
E	FO	DZ13409	14:16 's-Hertogenbosch – Livorno Centrale
E	FO	DZ13401	16:16 's-Hertogenbosch - Alessandria
H		DZ13423	Bruxelles Midi - 21:44 Verviers Centrale - Zell am See
H		DZ13422	Zell am See - 20:00 Rosenheim - Bruxelles Midi
H	SO	DZ13420	Zell am See - 23:38 Rosenheim - Essen (BE)
E	SO	DZ13408	17:03 Livorno Centrale - 's-Hertogenbosch

Köln Hbf – Köln West (via Köln Bahnbetriebshof)

[470] (36A3 not shown, 146A3) DE11/365

This route is via the carriage sidings at Köln-Hansaring and the exit to Köln West that passes below the eastbound passenger lines. It is not normally used by passenger trains, but the following is diverted this way on Mondays to Fridays, 11 January to 28 October 2011. The train uses the main passenger line on other days.

D

SSuX

IC2021

Hamburg-Altona - 03:51 Köln Hbf - Frankfurt am Main Hbf

Horrem avoiding line: Quadrath-Ichendorf – Frechen-Königsdorf

[481] (37B1, 63A2) DE11/366

This north to east curve is used by all through trains between Bedburg (Erft) and Köln Hbf. There is an hourly service Mondays to Saturdays.

Bonn-Beuel – Hangelar

(36B1, 149A4-149B4) DE11/367

Trains operated by Rhein-Sieg-Eisenbahn usually operate over this line in connection with the annual Pützchens Markt early in September.

See also

• Germany
• Germany - General Information
• Germany - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services