Train to Holzkirchen: Continuous operation again from Thursday!

Train to Holzkirchen: Continuous operation again from Thursday!

Many commuters and day trippers can finally breathe a sigh of relief! From Thursday, July 17th, the railway line between Munich and Holzkirchen will be accessible again. After weeks of restrictions due to switch damage, which have lasted since the end of June, normality is now returning. Traffic for the Munich S-Bahn will begin regularly to Holzkirchen, which should put a smile on the faces of many travelers. The Bavarian Regiobahn (BRB) will follow on Friday with its full range of trains.

The maintenance work at Deisenhofen train station has now been completed. Over the last few weeks, travelers have had to be patient as the route was closed due to switch damage in Deisenhofen and Unterhaching. This damage was discovered during a regular inspection, which prompted Deutsche Bahn to close the route for safety reasons. The diversions and the inadequate rail replacement service had caused frustration for many passengers, especially since initially there was not enough space available in the large taxis and buses used.

Reintegration of train traffic

While the S3 has been serving the section between Giesing and Deisenhofen since July 10th, it will be possible again to use the entire route to Holzkirchen from Thursday. This is good news following critical feedback from commuters and transport ministers who have highlighted the problems with rail replacement services. The replacement service could not fully compensate for the trains' capacities and significantly extended travel times.

“We ask for your understanding and recommend avoiding non-essential journeys,” the DB said until regular traffic was restored. The bus service was later changed to a 20-minute frequency between Giesing and Holzkirchen, but travelers longed for the usual convenience of the train journey.

Long-term infrastructure solutions

The challenges on this route are part of a larger problem that the railway wants to address in the coming years. Deutsche Bahn is investing a total of 16.4 billion euros in the renewal of the rail infrastructure for 2024 in order to stop the decline and reduce tardiness. The plan is to renew 2,000 kilometers of tracks and 2,000 switches. These measures also affect around 1,000 train stations and stops, including in Munich.

Philipp Nagl, the head of the new infrastructure company DB-InfraGO, has announced that the aging of the railway infrastructure should be stopped by 2024. In doing so, they want to address the “age-based backlog” of 103.4 billion euros, of which 59.9 billion euros are earmarked for bridges. Even where concerns about safety are at the forefront, rail transport depends on constant improvements.

Travelers are encouraged to find out about current information in information media such as the websites DER S-BAHN MUNICH and BAYERISCHE REGIOBAHN - after all, it saves nerves if you plan in advance. We look forward to a return to our usual journeys soon and hope that Deutsche Bahn's investments will also lead to a noticeable improvement.

With these developments, Munich's traffic will be relieved to some extent and commuters can make their everyday lives a little more relaxed again.