Wendlingen (dpa/lsw) - After ten years of construction, the first trains are in regular operation on the new line between Wendlingen and Ulm in Baden-Württemberg. With the timetable change, the first regional train left Wendlingen at 0.24 a.m. on Sunday, and the first train from Ulm left at 0.29 a.m. via the new route to Wendlingen. The first long-distance train followed a few hours later. The ICE 991 left Stuttgart at 7.15 a.m. in the direction of Ulm and arrived around 8 a.m. He was about a quarter of an hour faster than on the previous route.

Trains are now to travel at top speeds of 250 kilometers per hour over the sometimes steep route, thereby also reducing travel times to Munich and Stuttgart. Half of the 60-kilometer track runs through newly built tunnels.

For the first time, the new regional stop at Merklingen has also been headed for. The journey time is also reduced on several connections. In addition, regional trains run every hour between Ulm and Wendlingen at a speed of 200 km/h. An ICE runs once an hour in both directions on the new line. According to Bahn, with it there is an improved daily offer between Stuttgart and Munich by around 20 to 90 trips. If the Stuttgart underground station with its connections goes into operation in 2025, the journey time between Stuttgart and Ulm should be around half an hour shorter.