Criticism of Karlsruhe Turmbergbahn: Benefits and costs in the discussion!

In the city of Karlsruhe there are continued discussions about the planned extension of the Turmbergbahn. Doubts about the benefits of this project were loud, in particular with regard to the design of the route, which is to be created on a green strip in a residential area. Lüppo Cramer from the Karlsruher list expressed concerns that the magnolia avenue in Bergbahnstrasse is destroyed and the residential area is cut through the train, such as Context weekly newspaper reported.

The city's design advisory board has rejected the planned fence between the houses and demands that the railway be extended. Opponents of the project advocate that the train remains on its existing route and the current departure station is retained. A proposal also provides for the establishment of a bus traffic for people restricted mobility to bridge the 300 meters from the tram station to the valley station. Calculations of the Karlsruhe Verkehrsbetriebe (VBK) show that this solution could reduce investment costs by around ten million euros.

political majorities and concerns

Despite the concerns, the majority of the Karlsruhe parties and factions support the new, extended Turmbergbahn. The local council Durlach voted for the project with 12 yes against 5 no votes. However, there are MPs within several factions that are against the decision of the majority of the parliamentary group. A planned coordination in the local council was postponed due to open questions. SPD City Councilor Mathias Tröndle criticized the "loud criticism" of the extension and demanded a rapid decision. The SPD sees the planning as "without an alternative" to avoid traffic in the local recreation area Turmberg, while the Greens emphasize the accessibility of the extended railway.

The CDU parliamentary group estimates the forecast passenger numbers from 260,000 to around 170,000, but still sees economic operability as possible. Critics warn that traffic forecasts may overestimate the actual benefits of the project. In the past, around 120,000 passengers use the Turmbergbahn per year, which further fueled the current discussion about the need for the project.

In addition, the operating license of the Turmbergbahn was extended by December 31, 2024. Necessary uses include aspects such as accessibility and fire protection. The planned extension should take place to the federal road B3 to ensure a connection to the public transport network. The municipal council of Karlsruhe voted in April 2022 with a large majority for the modernization, and the support requirement is that the state of Baden-Württemberg pays at least half of the costs of around 20.8 million euros, such as kvv reported.

The planning approval procedure for the barrier -free expansion and the extension of the railway was submitted to the Karlsruhe regional council in 2023. In the summer of 2021, the transport companies carried out three design workshops with representatives of the citizens to discuss topics such as rail infrastructure, vehicle design and accessibility.