There is potential for the construction of a tram from the north of Frankfurt to Bad Vilbel.

This is the result of a study commissioned by the two neighboring cities.

The experts reckon that with such a connection, up to 2600 additional journeys can be expected.

On the basis of this assessment, the experts from the consulting firm Ramböll recommend a detailed feasibility study and a cost-benefit study, the results of which also determine the funding from the federal and state governments.

Wolfram Ahlers

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for Central Hesse and the Wetterau.

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In the study, the best variant emerged as the large variant, namely the routing of the line to the new construction area west of Bad Vilbel's North Station.

The proposed tram connection branches off the existing tram line 18 north of Friedberger Warte in Frankfurt at the Bodenweg stop and continues on Friedberger Landstrasse to Bad Vilbel.

In the Bad Vilbel area, continue along Alte Frankfurter Strasse and from Heilsberg over Frankfurter Strasse to the Südbahnhof.

Currently, bus line 30, which is used by up to 5,000 passengers a day, runs from the south of Bad Vilbel to the north of Frankfurt.

This makes it one of the main local transport connections between Frankfurt and Bad Vilbel, along with S-Bahn line 6.

Renaissance as an attractive means of transport

The Frankfurt traffic department head Klaus Oesterling (SPD) praised the result of the study, especially with regard to the fine dust pollution in Friedberger Landstrasse.

The conversion of a line operated by diesel buses to the electric tram has clear ecological advantages and is attractive for passengers.

For his Bad Vilbel colleague, First City Councilor Sebastian Wysocki (CDU), the study is an occasion to continue the political discussion about a tram in Bad Vilbel.

The advantages and disadvantages have to be weighed up before the city committees take the next steps.

The study was financed by the city of Bad Vilbel and the Upper Hessian Utilities Association (ZOV), each with 25 percent; the Frankfurt local transport company TraffiQ assumed the other half of the costs. Managing Director Tom Reinhold promotes the continuation of the project: "The tram is currently experiencing a legitimate renaissance as an attractive means of transport." Between Bad Vilbel and Frankfurt, 50 percent more passengers could be won over to environmentally friendly local transport compared to buses.