GERMANY: The Land of Hessen has updated its list of closed railways which are considered potentially suitable for reopening, adding seven routes to take the total to 24.
Firm plans are being developed for three routes: the Horlofftalbahn between Wölfersheim-Södel and Hungen, where operations are to be resumed at the end of 2025; the Lumdatalbahn from Lollar to Londorf; and a connection from Neu-Isenburg station to the town centre.
Preliminary investigations and feasibility studies are being carried out for eight of the routes.
‘Rail is an environmentally and climate-friendly mode of transport’, said Hessen’s Economics & Transport Minister Tarek Al-Wazir on August 11. ‘The reactivation of closed routes contributes to offering attractive alternatives to the car away from metropolitan areas. The chances have improved significantly because the Federal Ministry of Transport now judges such projects based on what they do for rural areas. Hessen has been calling for this for a long time.’
Lines in Hessen considered suitable candidates for reopening
- Hofgeismar-Hümme – Trendelburg (Carlsbahn)
- Kassel – Herkules (Herkulesbahn)
- Baunatal – Schauenburg-Elgershausen
- Kassel – Lohfelden (Variant using part of the Söhrebahn)
- Bad Wildungen-Wega – Hemfurth-Edersee (Staumauer)
- Frankenberg – Battenberg (Eder)
- Schwalmstadt-Treysa – Homberg (Efze)
- Gerstungen – Heimboldshausen – Bad Salzungen (Werratalbahn)
- Dillenburg – Ewersbach (Dietzhölztalbahn)
- Bad Endbach (Hartenrod) – Niederwalgern (Salzbödebahn)
- Kirchhain – Burg- u Nieder-Gemünden (Ohmtalbahn)
- Bad Hersfeld – Niederaula (Knüllwaldbahn) and Niederaula – Alsfeld (Gründchenbahn)
- Lollar – Mainzlar – Londorf (Lumdatalbahn)
- Brandoberndorf – Albshausen (Solmsbachtalbahn)
- Hungen – Laubach
- Wölfersheim-Södel – Hungen (Horlofftalbahn)
- Grävenwiesbach – Weilburg (Weiltalbahn)
- Wächtersbach – Bad Orb
- Wiesbaden – Bad Schwalbach – Land border (– Diez) (Aartalbahn)
- Hanau – Erlensee
- Neu-Isenburg Bf – Neu-Isenburg Zentrum
- Griesheim – Wolfskehlen
- Darmstadt Ost – Roßdorf – Groß-Zimmern
- Mörlenbach – Wald-Michelbach (Überwaldbahn)
