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New long-distance route Chemnitz-Berlin: rail initiative is dissatisfied
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By Fabian Windrich
Chemnitz – The time has finally come: after 16 years, in Chemnitz finally a long-distance train again. From June 2022, a double-decker Intercity will drive over from Chemnitz Freiberg, Dresden, Berlin to Warnemünde. The concept was presented on Thursday at Chemnitz Central Station. But the joy of the “Bahninitiative Chemnitz” is limited. Because: With the new long-distance connection, you can’t get to the federal capital faster than before.
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The new “Stadler KISS” intercity train: It is to transport Chemnitz residents to Berlin from June without changing trains. © Sven Gleisberg
The Intercity from Chemnitz to Berlin takes about three hours. This is not a time saving compared to the current connections.
Because Berlin can already be reached within three hours – with a regional express to Leipzig and then on with an ICE to Berlin, it takes exactly two hours and 58 minutes. The stay (46 minutes) in Leipzig is already included.
At this point, the “Bahninitiative Chemnitz” is also bothered. The alliance had demanded a direct connection from Chemnitz to Berlin via Riesa. Driving time: only about 2 hours and 15 minutes. But the decision was made in favor of the longer connection via Freiberg and Dresden.
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Advantage: The people of Chemnitz can also use the Chemnitz-Dresden section with local transport tickets and are quickly in the Saxon state capital with the IC. In addition, Freiberg also gets a long-distance connection again. Disadvantage: The journey time of about three hours to Berlin.
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The new Intercity, which will be jetting from Chemnitz via Berlin to the Baltic Sea from summer 2022, offers a total of 295 seats. © Sven Gleisberg
Chemnitz Central Station was cut off from the long-distance network for 16 years – that will change from June 2022. © Uwe Meinhold
“Our region doesn’t just need the ‘long-distance transport feeling'”
Sebastian Drechsler (30) from the Chemnitz railway initiative sees the new long-distance connection to Berlin as a first step. But he’s not satisfied yet. © Kristin Schmidt
The rail initiative is also annoyed that only two trains run in both directions every day. “Our region not only needs the ‘long-distance transport feeling’, as some politicians describe it, but also regular, frequent and reliable connections,” says Sebastian Drechsler (30), spokesman for the Chemnitz railway initiative.
Nevertheless, the rail initiative sees the new long-distance connection via Berlin to the Baltic Sea as an important first step. “Now more connections and reconnection steps must follow.”
Further steps – the railway initiative means above all the expansion of the Chemnitz – Leipzig route. This is partly single track, partly not electrified.
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However, it will still take some time before the entire route is completed. According to Deutsche Bahn The construction project is currently in the planning phase. The route should not be fully electrified until 2028.
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Chemnitz only gets a “long-distance light”
Commentary by Fabian Windrich
It was long overdue that Chemnitz was reconnected to long-distance traffic. The title of Capital of Culture certainly also contributed to the implementation. Without this title we would certainly be cut off from long-distance traffic for years to come.
However: The IC connection to Berlin is only a “long-distance light” for me. Unfortunately, there is no faster way to get to Berlin. Only the transfer is omitted.
But a long-distance connection to Berlin is actually of secondary importance. From my point of view, a faster connection to Leipzig is more important, because from there the ICEs travel to all regions of Germany at lightning speed.
But there will soon be no long-distance traffic to Leipzig. Because: The route must first be expanded. Politics has waited too long here – a single-track, partially non-electrified route is a tragedy on this important route in 2022.
Something has to happen here in the next few years!
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Title photo: Sven Gleisberg, Kristin Schmidt
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