Deutsche Bahn, Germany's national rail system, switched into a new timetable last weekend, one that is more than a seasonal adjustment of service. It's part of a long-range plan to draw travelers onto the rails instead of flying by making service among the country's cities faster and more frequent.
The key concept also involves coordinating service nationwide so that trains arrive together at transfer stations, eliminating long waits between trains, similar to a model Switzerland uses. DB expects to have the whole system in place by 2030, when a number of new lines and track upgrades are completed.
The plan includes every-half-hour service among most major cities. The new timetable increases runs between Berlin and Hamburg to 60 a day from 45, providing every half-hour service each way from 6 am to 10 pm. Also added are fourteen more trains between Berlin and Bonn, a route that many government officials have flown rather than taking the train.
Other upgrades include improved and increased service between Berlin and Cologne, Munich and Zurich and Hamburg-Munich. At the same time, there is also a fare increase of 1 to 1.5% on most tickets, but discount prices and prices for those holding passes will not go up. Even with the increases, tickets are now cheaper because of a 10% VAT cut last January.
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