The Elztalbahn returns between Waldkirch and Elzach in the Emmendingen region – with an electric motor instead of a diesel engine. The expansion of the Breisgau S-Bahn line is now complete.
The Elztalbahn arrives with new white-yellow-black wagons. Electric rail cars have been on the road in the upper Elz Valley since Saturday; Electricity flows in the overhead lines between Waldkirch and Elsack. The railway is now completely electrified. Electric trains have been running on a section between Denzelingen and Waldkirch since mid-February. At this time, the approximately 12-kilometer stretch between Waldkirch and Elsach must also be operated, but there were problems with construction work, especially at the Gutach transit station. The start has been repeatedly postponed: originally, the Freiburg-Ellsach route was supposed to be completely completed and electrified in 2018.
From Freiburg to Zack in 36 minutes
The era of railway replacement services on the Elztalbahn is now over. The electric fleet on the S2 line connects Freiburg’s main station to the Schach – in just 36 minutes. The Elztalbahn runs every half hour during rush hour. The The current schedule is available here.
Joy of movement restored
Lord Waldkirch Mayor Roman Gotzman (SPD) talks about a major move for the region regarding the Elz Valley electrified railway. It was Elztal’s largest infrastructure project in recent decades. A passerby on the sidewalk in Waldkirch expressed himself in a similarly positive way: “It took a while, but we are happy to have our railway back. We are now connected to the rest of the railway in Europe.”
Elz Valley Road is the final stage of the Breisgau S-Bahn expansion
The Elztalbahn, now fully electrified, was the last remaining building block for the modern S-Bahn network around Freiburg. In total, more than 300 kilometers of the track network were electrified in the entire network. Crossings, bridges, signal boxes and train stations have been renovated barrier-free. The entire project cost about 600 million euros – about three times the planned amount.