Deutsche Bahn (DB) is commencing service on the Wendlingen-Ulm high-capacity main line in Germany.
Thanks to the new line and the launch of the ICE 3neo train, timetable changes on 11 December include increasing the frequency and speed of long-distance traffic between Stuttgart and Munich.
In addition, the new Merklingen railway station will allow even more people to benefit from this service.
“The radiance of the new Wendlingen-Ulm line extends far beyond the region. It is the new pacemaker for the railways and a mainstay in our rail network. The benefits for people and the economy are already enormous today. And it will be even bigger when Stuttgart 21 opens in three years. My special thanks go to everyone who has worked on this impressive project over many years.”
Since the project’s ground-breaking in 2012, DB has completed an extensive construction programme for the Wendlingen-Ulm line. This has included several tunnels: the Boßler Tunnel, the Albvorland Tunnel, the Albabstieg Tunnel and the Steinbühl Tunnel, all of which are several kilometres long.
In addition, DB constructed the 485-metre-long and 85-metre-high Filstal Bridge, which is now the third highest railway bridge in Germany.
“The Wendlingen-Ulm route is a project of the century, a milestone for the implementation of the Germany cycle and the international transversal from Paris via Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Ulm, Munich and on to Vienna and Bratislava.
“The positive effects for travelers and the economy show once again how important it is to push ahead with infrastructure expansion now. We only have a chance of achieving our climate goals if we get faster here.”
The Wendlingen-Ulm project had a construction cost of almost four billion EUR, which was were financed by the federal government, the state of Baden-Württemberg and the European Union.
