ICE offer in NRW: temporary reduction ensures resentment

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The temporary thinning of the ICE offer in North Rhine-Westphalia not only has an impact on rail traffic, but also raises questions about the availability of regional cities. From now on, travelers who rely on the luxury transport of Deutsche Bahn can expect a reduced offer. Bonn will only offer five direct connections to Berlin instead of the previous nine.

Affected cities and connections

The changes in the timetable particularly affect several cities in North Rhine-Westphalia: in Aachen, the number of downhill distance from four to two, while in Gütersloh only three trains will run a day. In Düren west of Cologne there are no more ICE trains at all, in Herford only an ICE ticket for travelers remains. In cities such as Mönchengladbach, Krefeld and Viersen, the connection is driven to one ICE per day.

Temporary measure

The Deutsche Bahn emphasizes that the adjustments are only temporary and will apply by December 14th. The reason for these drastic changes is the high construction process that affects the infrastructure throughout Germany. A railway spokesman makes it clear that 95 percent of ICE and IC connections continue to take place according to schedule, so that only five percent of long-distance trains are affected by the reduction.

Reactions from politics

Transport Minister Oliver Krischer expressed his concern for the effects of the reduced offer in a letter to rail director Richard Lutz. He warns that the changed connections could lead to travelers switching to aircraft out of forced need, which would run counter to the goal of more environmentally friendly transport policy. His ministry will observe the situation closely to determine how the range of offers will develop.

Conclusion and Outlook

The temporary reduction of ICE compounds in NRW is a clear sign of the competition between rail and air traffic, especially with regard to accessibility and climate protection. How well the railway mastering this balancing act between the necessary construction work and the creation of a powerful offer will be crucial for mobility and environmental protection in the region.