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Rail chaos in the Esslingen district: delays and renovation backlog are looming!
Trains between Stuttgart and Tübingen are delayed: Problems at level crossings and lines in the Esslingen district require urgent renovations.
Rail chaos in the Esslingen district: delays and renovation backlog are looming!
The railway between Stuttgart and Tübingen is struggling with massive problems! Delays and timetable changes are the order of the day, and the cause lies in dilapidated level crossings and outdated cable systems. In 2023, Deutsche Bahn (DB) recorded an average of 22 disruptions per month on this section - an alarming increase that pushes punctuality to just 87.8 percent! That is up to seven percent less than in 2020. The situation is so serious that the DB itself speaks of a “mediocre” rating of 3.4.
One-way street of delays
The condition of the level crossings is particularly serious, having fallen from a grade of 2.8 to 4.9. “This suggests greater damage in individual locations,” explains Matthias Gastel, member of the Bundestag for the Green Party and member of the DB supervisory board. If technology fails at a level crossing, trains have to slow down, which inevitably leads to delays. The control and safety technology has also deteriorated - from 3.6 to 4.1. The overhead line systems are also far from acceptable with a grade of 4.6.
Another critical point is the Plochinger train station, where trains from different directions arrive at the same time and often cannot arrive at the same time. This leads to further delays. Gastel is urgently calling for modernization to improve the catastrophic situation. The DB is planning to renew the infrastructure using a new method called “Building in Time”. Several jobs should be carried out at the same time, especially at night, so as not to disrupt the timetable. But implementing this strategy will take time and passengers will have to expect frequent delays for the time being.
The DB has already carried out some renovation work, such as replacing the switches at Nürtingen train station, but the next major measures are not planned until 2027. Until then, the route between Stuttgart and Tübingen remains a problem child for the railways - and travelers must continue to be prepared for unreliable connections!