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New rail boom: Four-track expansion between Nuremberg and Bamberg completed!
The ICE route Munich-Berlin will be more stable and faster thanks to the four-track expansion between Nuremberg and Bamberg.
New rail boom: Four-track expansion between Nuremberg and Bamberg completed!
The journey between Munich and Berlin will now be faster and more stable, as the recently completed route expansion near Nuremberg has significantly increased capacity. The four-track expansion between Nuremberg and Bamberg has been in operation since September 9, 2025, ending a significant bottleneck in the German rail network. The approximately 60 kilometer long route is used by an average of 350 trains every day. This is a clear improvement for commuters and travelers on this popular connection, which is part of the “German Unity Transport Project No. 8”, which also includes the new construction and expansion of the ICE route from Nuremberg via Erfurt and Leipzig to Berlin, such as [n-tv.de].
With these new four tracks, fast and slow trains can now run independently of each other, which will noticeably improve the punctuality and reliability of overall rail operations. Investments amounting to around two billion euros, which were brought together by the federal government, the Free State of Bavaria, municipalities and Deutsche Bahn, have made this project a reality. The construction work itself stretched over several years and, among other things, produced 40 kilometers of new tracks and 45 kilometers of overhead lines, reports Deutsche Rail.
Technical innovations and gains for the region
In addition to the track expansion, new noise barriers were also built and barrier-free platforms were set up at the Hirschaid and Strullendorf stations. Barrier-free access plays an important role here, even if the Buttenheim station will not be completely rebuilt until autumn 2024. The modernizations are not only a relief for commuters, but also promise to strengthen the economy in this region.
In connection with the commissioning, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder emphasized how important such projects are for economic development. Also Dr. Philipp Nagl, CEO of DB InfraGO AG, explained the advantages of the four-track expansion and its potential to significantly increase stability and punctuality in rail operations.
Future outlook and further developments
In northern Bavaria, there are also further construction projects in Bamberg, including renovations and expansions of railway and road bridges as well as a new “Bamberg-Süd” stop. The “Bamberg node” will also be brought up to date with the latest technology, which should further boost public transport. Particularly worth mentioning is the Franken-Thüringen-Express, which has been running every 30 minutes between Nuremberg and Bamberg since December 2023.
The new infrastructure is already having an impact: passenger numbers on the ICE connection between Nuremberg and Erfurt have tripled since 2017. Deutsche Bahn is also increasing its service between Nuremberg and Erfurt and is using 31 ICE trains every day, including many sprinters, which take travelers quickly to their destination. A planned freight train tunnel project in Fürth and the S-Bahn expansion between Fürth and Eltersdorf are also in the starting blocks and are intended to further optimize the station system.
These developments clearly show that there is something happening in the region and that the future will bring many positive changes for commuters and travelers throughout Bavaria!