Munich S-Bahn Service Significantly Reduced Over Past 18 Months
Munich, March 13 – The Munich S-Bahn, serving approximately 840,000 passengers daily and ranking among Germany’s most heavily utilized S-Bahn networks, has seen a significant reduction in its service over the past year and a half. Investigations by Bayerischer Rundfunk and the Münchner Merkur/tz newspaper group reveal that various lines have been thinned out, particularly during early morning and late-night hours, since the timetable change in December 2024.
Passenger Representatives Protest Service Cuts
While the railway refers to these changes as “adjustments during off-peak hours” and the Bavarian Ministry of Transport describes them as “shifting individual, very lightly used services to areas with higher demand,” the reality for passengers means the cancellation of connections on almost every line. The S1, S2, S4, and S6 lines are the most affected, with five connections cut between Dachau and Ostbahnhof alone. Dozens of train journeys have been eliminated on various outer branches.
Marco Kragulij from the passenger association Pro Bahn criticized the reductions, stating that when booster trains are canceled and a 40-minute cycle is implemented due to construction, the service becomes less attractive. He highlighted that this is particularly problematic at a time when more people wish to use the S-Bahn due to rising fuel prices, contradicting political rhetoric promoting the shift to public transport.
Questions of Responsibility and Infrastructure Issues
A spokesperson for the Bavarian Ministry of Transport affirmed that securing the overall good service of the Munich S-Bahn remains a stated political goal of the Free State of Bavaria. However, the ministry did not provide concrete answers regarding a potential reversal of the cuts or future plans in response to inquiries from BR and the Münchner Merkur/tz newspaper group. The ministry noted that some S-Bahn journeys are currently being canceled in certain areas (e.g., the Geltendorf branch) “due to infrastructure deficiencies.” They stressed that this is not the responsibility of the Free State, which is “urging those responsible for the quickest possible solution.”
Nevertheless, the ordering of services for the S-Bahn and Bavarian regional railways falls under the overall responsibility of the Free State, which handles it through the Bayerische Eisenbahngesellschaft (BEG). The BEG is responsible for planning, financing, and controlling regional rail passenger transport in Bavaria on behalf of the Bavarian Ministry of Transport. A railway expert told BR that outside Bavaria, the state’s previous success in maintaining timetable offerings despite stagnant federal funds was highly regarded, but this now appears to be changing.
Construction, Delays, and Management Changes
The punctuality of S-Bahn trains has reached new lows in recent weeks. Pro Bahn also criticized the negative impact of the 2nd main line construction site on passengers. For example, from June, only the S5 inbound from Pasing will stop at Laim, while all others will pass through. Passengers wishing to alight at Laim will either have to travel back one station or face longer waiting times. The connection work for the electronic interlocking system at Ostbahnhof last year also led to numerous closures.
The Munich S-Bahn is also undergoing a change in its management. The railway announced last week that Heiko Büttner is moving to become the managing director of S-Bahn Berlin and will also step down from his position as DB Group authorized representative for Bavaria. A successor for the latter role has not yet been appointed. Matthias Glaub will return to S-Bahn Munich, having previously served as HR manager for several years and most recently leading S-Bahn Stuttgart after various management positions at the railway. He takes on a challenging task.
This development comes as Bavaria faces other railway-related issues, including over 100 slow-speed sections on Bavarian railways, mostly in the greater Munich area, due to track and switch damage. Additionally, investigations are ongoing into the cause of a train collision in Bayreuth, where a severely injured train driver has since been released from the hospital.
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Source: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/schlechteres-angebot-bei-der-s-bahn-muenchen,VDgmzzE
