Rail transport in Germany

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As of 2003, Germany had a railway network of 41,500 km. 20,140 km are electrified. The total track length was 80,250 km.

Deutsche Bahn and ca. 150 private railway companies operated a total of 14,500 powered rail vehicles:

• 3,326 Electric locomotives
• 5,575 Electric multiple units
• 2,733 Diesel locomotives
• 2,750 Diesel multiple units

(Source: German Federal Statistical Office)

Deutsche Bahn (state-owned) is the main provider of railway service. In recent years a number of competitors (like Connex, a new company offering some long-distance services, especially in the east) started business.

• Deutsche Bahn
  • InterCityExpress (high speed train either national or on some routes to the Netherlands and Belgium, to Switzerland and to Austria)
  • EuroCity (international long-distance trains)
  • InterCity (national long-distance trains)
  • Schnellzug (through trains)
  • EuroNight (international night trains)
  • DB NachtZug (national and international night trains)
  • UrlaubsExpress (national night trains to the Alps and the Baltic Sea during vacation times)

The InterRegio services, introduced in 1988 and situated between the Schnellzug and the InterCity, have been abolished in 2003.

• Veolia Verkehr (offers services on former Interregio routes)
  • Interconnex
  • Harz-Berlin-Express
  • Ostseeland Express

• Thalys (high-speed train to Belgium and France; adapted French TGV)
• Cisalpino (to Italy, service discontinued mid-December 2006)

• Regional rail traffic is organized and paid for by the federal states. Trains are operated by the lowest bidder, which means new franchises usually go to companies like NordWestBahn or Prignitzer Eisenbahn, although several states have awarded long-term contracts to local DB Regio subsidiaries.
  • RegionalExpress (medium-distance semi-fast trains)
  • RegionalBahn (basic local service, usually calling at all stations)
  • S-Bahn (suburban rail transport offered mainly by Deutsche Bahn, sometimes by others)
  • U-Bahn (urban rapid transit)

[edit] See also

• Rail transport by country
• Transportation in Germany
• History of rail transport in Germany
• German steam locomotive classification