On 10 December, Chairman and CEO of Deutsche Bahn Dr Rüdiger Grube, Federal Minister for Transport Dr Peter Ramsauer, and Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology opened the new high speed rail link between Munich and Augsburg with an inaugural train. DB has extended this line from two to four tracks at a cost of around 700 million euros, now enabling trains to operate at speeds of up to 230 km/h and complete the journey from Munich to Augsburg in under 30 minutes.

This 61-km line is currently being used by some 350 trains a day and is among Deutsche Bahn’s busiest freight, long-distance passenger and regional transport lines. The line is part of the Magistrale for Europe (MoE), the East-West railway axis from Budapest to Vienna and Paris. As Dr Rüdiger Grube highlighted, “this extension to four tracks will mean significant congestion relief. The upgraded line will separate slower traffic (freight and short-distance trains) from high speed trains. We will be able to operate in a faster, more timely, and more reliable manner.”

(Source: Deutsche Bahn)