A new passenger service between towns in Bavaria, Germany, is to be introduced from September 12, 2016.
The 25-kilometre route between Gotteszell and Viechtach also serves the communities of Ruhmannsfelden, Patersdorf, and Teisnach Geiersthal.
The Bavarian Railway Company (BEG) has appointed Die Länderbahn – formerly owned by Arriva and now by Italian state railways Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) under the Netinera brand – to run the new service.
To be operated by five single-car Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1 units, the new service will be the first on the line since scheduled operations, which commenced in 1890, ceased in 1991. Since then, the line has been used only for excursions and for transfers to Netinera’s workshops at Vierchtach.
This reopening is the result of a local referendum in February 2015 in which nearly 64 per cent voted for a resumption of a rail service between Gotteszell and Viechtach.
Since then, infrastructure work has been undertaken to upgrade the line. Platforms were extended and improved while a complete new station was built at Teisnach technology campus.
Now, stations are able to take three-coupled Regio-Shuttle cars if needed. An hourly service will be run between 05:00 and 20:00 Monday-Saturday, with extended hours at weekends and a less-frequent service on Sundays.
The new service will be trialled for two years after which the continuing future of the line will be reassessed.
