Big changes to the timetable: New rail connections for Saxony!

Big changes to the timetable: New rail connections for Saxony!

Leipzig. – Deutsche Bahn has announced extensive changes to the timetable that will come into force from December 15, 2024. These measures aim to further expand connections, particularly towards the Baltic Sea and Switzerland. In particular, a new night train connection from Berlin to Zurich is intended to meet the growing needs of travelers, as the railway explained in a statement. This is the railway's response to the increasing demand for seated cars on its night trains.

A highlight of the new timetable is the direct ICE connection, which will run from Eisenach via Erfurt and Leipzig to the Baltic Sea for the first time from March 8, 2025. The train will now run daily to Waren (Müritz) and Rostock without having to change trains. A special connection between Berlin and Halle and Erfurt will also be introduced, which begins in Stralsund from Monday to Friday.

News for travelers from Central Germany

The railway also plans to introduce new ComfortJet trains from Czech Railways on routes between Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden and Prague. These trains not only offer 555 seats, but also a dining car to improve passenger offerings. The intercity connection between Nuremberg and Leipzig will also be optimized to offer travelers a new early connection.

There was also positive news for Chemnitz. The IC from Chemnitz via Berlin to Warnemünde will run daily again. On the weekends there will also be a pair of fast IC trains that run from Berlin to Chemnitz and back. Improvements are also planned for the Thuringian region on weekends, with intercity train connections to and from Cologne and other cities reintroduced.

Prices and booking

The timetable change is also accompanied by an increase in ticket prices. Bookings for the new offers, which also include trips over the Christmas holidays, will begin on October 16, 2024. Travelers who book by December 14 will still benefit from the old prices.

• Die Super Sparpreise und Sparpreise bleiben unverändert günstig, ab 17,99 Euro bzw. 21,99 Euro buchbar.
• Die Flexpreise steigen im Durchschnitt um 5,9 Prozent.
• Für Pendler erhöhen sich die Ticketpreise ebenfalls um 5,9 Prozent, während weiterhin flexible Angebote bestehen bleiben.
• Die Preise für die Fahrradmitnahme innerhalb Deutschlands liegen zukünftig zwischen 7,99 und 14,99 Euro.
• Die BahnCards 25 und 50 bleiben im Preis stabil.
• Die Preise für die BahnCard 100 steigen im Durchschnitt um 6,6 Prozent.

For the Germany ticket, which is issued with the BahnCard 100, the monthly costs will increase by 9 euros, which is also taken into account in the new prices. The regular BahnCard 100 prices will now be 7,999 euros for 1st class and 4,899 euros for 2nd class.

The new structure and price changes underline Deutsche Bahn's commitment to continually improving its offering for its customers while at the same time responding to the current economic conditions. More details about the new timetable changes and prices are available here to find.