Frankfurt/Main (dpa/lhe) - Train commuters have to be prepared for considerable restrictions in and around Frankfurt during the Easter holidays. Due to construction work, the City Tunnel will be partially closed to S-Bahn traffic for three and a half weeks, as Deutsche Bahn announced on Wednesday. In addition, the route will be completely closed again due to construction work on the tracks for the S6. Alternatively, buses will run, and train lines will be diverted. The replacement traffic on the rails has an impact on long-distance traffic, in some cases there is no stop at Frankfurt Central Station.
The S-Bahn tunnel will be closed from March 31 to April 24 between Hauptwache and Offenbach-Ost or Frankfurt-Süd, the Ostendstrasse station from March 27. Switches and tracks would have to be renewed, and work was also being done on the Offenbach tunnel stations. Replacement buses are to travel from Offenbach-Ost to destinations in Frankfurt every five minutes, and the number 16 Offenbach-Frankfurt tram line will be increased. S8 and S1 are diverted to ensure a connection from the east to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt, the subways are being strengthened.
In the case of the S6, preliminary work between Frankfurt West and Bad Vilbel will begin this Friday (February 3rd) and should last until March 13th. Trains are partly diverted, end prematurely or are cancelled. According to the information, the route will be completely closed on March 31st and will last until April 17th.
During the last full closure, the train's replacement concept caused a lot of problems and criticism. One learned from this, said the group representative of Deutsche Bahn for Hesse, Klaus Vornhusen. Frankfurt Central Station can still be reached from central Hesse without changing trains, and suggestions are to be made for better signage for replacement buses.
All replacement traffic would be entered into the electronic information so that the optimal route would be issued, the railway said. A separate website and information in the S-Bahn and stations are also planned.
