New signal box at the Ostbahnhof: S-Bahn passengers must be patient!

New signal box at the Ostbahnhof: S-Bahn passengers must be patient!

In Munich there are news that affects many commuters: inside and passengers: After almost four years of construction, the new electronic signal box (ESTW) is at the front of the door. The first step in the planned reduction of delays in the S-Bahn network takes place in several stages and brings restrictions on S-Bahn traffic for a good two weeks, such as Merkur reported.

The conversion of the signal box, which replaces the old relay parking station from 1971, has already been delayed by two years and is now officially put into operation on June 6, 2025. Before that, it will be complete on the main route around the Ostbahnhof from Friday, 10:30 p.m.

planned traffic restrictions

Overall, S-Bahn traffic is noticeably affected during this transition period. From June 6th, all tracks will be passable again, but with a quarter less S-Bahn traffic. The lines S1 and S5 will not drive on the main route, while the S2, S3 and S8 are on the move without amplifier trains. If everything goes according to plan, you can expect a return to normality from June 19 with up to 1300 train trips per day.

The punctuality of the S-Bahn had to accept a damper last year. In 2024, the rate fell to only 87 %, with 60 % of the disorders being due to defective infrastructure. In particular, the Old Stellwerk Ostbahnhof was not uninvolved, responsible for 140 out of 1500 disorders of lead and security technology in 2021.

The importance of the construction work

The commissioning of the ESTW is part of a comprehensive "S3" renovation program of Deutsche Bahn, which is to improve the infrastructure by 2027. The extensive acceptance tests are essential to ensure smooth operation. As early as November and December 2023, there were initial restrictions and it is recommended to regularly check the timetables on the Deutsche Bahn website.

The two new buildings at the Ostbahnhof and Leuchtenbergring will in future take over the control of the course and signals. Completion is expected to go hand in hand with 8000 hours of acceptance. The DB has also announced further construction work in parts of the S-Bahn network for the coming weekends, some of which can lead to significant restrictions.

passengers should adapt to alternative modes of transport in the MVV during this conversion phase. These include regional trains between Pasing and Hauptbahnhof as well as subway and tram compounds that can be used to facilitate the bypass.

The responsible and passengers hope that the new systems will not only increase punctuality, but also the entire travel time for the commuters: inside, such as S-Bahn Berlin in similar projects.

The transitional period may be challenging, but the final goal is clear: a more powerful and punctual S-Bahn network for all Munich. So mark yourself on June 26th in the calendar-then the ceremony for official commissioning takes place, in which Prime Minister Markus Söder and DB infrastructure board will also be present Berthold Huber.