S-Bahn expansion: Five minutes faster from Bad Vilbel to Frankfurt

The four-track expansion of the previously only two-track railway line between Frankfurt and Bad Vilbel is progressing as planned.

In December 2023, the S-Bahn trains should be on their own tracks and thus separate from the long-distance and regional trains in a reliable 15-minute cycle, according to Deutsche Bahn.

The expansion, which began in 2017, is intended to reduce the travel time from Bad Vilbel to Frankfurt Central Station (currently around 25 minutes) by up to five minutes.

In the meantime, the railway embankment has been widened to such an extent over ten of the 13 kilometers that two additional railway tracks can be laid.

This has already happened over a distance of two and a half kilometers between Frankfurt-Eschersheim and Frankfurt-West.

Ralph Euler

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung, responsible for the Rhein-Main section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.

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The focus of construction work this year is on the section between Frankfurter Berg and Bad Vilbel.

According to Deutsche Bahn, this requires the route to be completely closed for eight weeks from July 9th to September 5th.

While the regional and long-distance trains then use detours, the S-Bahn is setting up a rail replacement service with buses for passengers on the S 6 during this time.

However, travelers can expect restrictions due to the construction work four weeks before the full closure.

From June 13 to July 9, train operations can only take place on one track.

The S-Bahn will continue to run, but with deviations from the usual timetable.

Important building block on the way to the traffic turnaround

Three level crossings in Frankfurt will also be permanently closed this year.

On March 18, first the two in Berkersheimer Bahnstraße in the Berkersheim district and on Berkersheimer Weg on Frankfurter Berg;

The level crossing at Lachweg in Frankfurt-Eschersheim is expected to follow on July 10th.

In a total of three digital events (each from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.) residents can find out more about the details of the construction work this week and next: on Thursday, March 10, about the Bad Vilbel section, on Tuesday, March 15 about the section Frankfurter Berg, Berkersheim, Harheim and on Thursday, March 17 via the Bockenheim, Ginnheim, Eschersheim section.

Access links are available in advance at

on the Internet;

Registration is not required.

From the point of view of the Hessian Ministry of Transport, the expansion of the S-6 route is an important building block on the way to a traffic turnaround.

The construction of the route between Frankfurt and Bad Vilbel, which is used by around 300 trains a day, is expected to cost around 570 million euros, and around the same amount is earmarked for the planned further expansion over the 18 kilometers from Bad Vilbel to Friedberg.

So far there are only two tracks on the section between Frankfurt-Westbahnhof and Bad Vilbel, which are used by long-distance, regional, freight trains and S-Bahn trains alike.

Because the S-Bahn trains often have to wait to give way to long-distance trains, there are often delays on S-Bahn line 6 between Frankfurt and Wetterau and as a result in Frankfurt S-Bahn transport as a whole.

The work on the Frankfurt-Bad Vilbel section is proving difficult because the space along the railway line is tight and because ongoing railway operations should be disrupted as little as possible.