Alpine trains canceled: Tourism under pressure – DB plans cancellations!

Alpine trains canceled: Tourism under pressure – DB plans cancellations!

When the timetable changes in December 2025, Deutsche Bahn is bringing with it some massive changes that are causing excitement for both travelers and the affected tourism locations. From the end of September, the ICE “Karwendel” from Berlin to Garmisch-Partenkirchen will only run sporadically. Furthermore, the ICE “Wetterstein” from Hamburg will be canceled from the timetable until December 13th. The IC 2083, better known as “Königssee”, will only run to Berchtesgaden until September 21st, and the IC 2085, “Nebelhorn” to the Allgäu, takes its last train on October 7th.

The cuts have been criticized by the advocacy group Pro Bahn, which warns that this would represent a bitter loss for the tourist hotspots. Many travelers appreciate the trains, especially since they enable a comfortable journey even for people without having to change trains. Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter has already personally intervened with Deutsche Bahn and asked for a review of the plans, which indicates the urgency of the issue. “There’s something going on,” you might say.

Deutsche Bahn's restructuring program

The cuts are not the only issue in the railway sector. Deutsche Bahn has announced that it will carry out extensive work on the rail infrastructure as part of its S3 renovation program. Over a period of three years, tracks, switches and signals in Bavaria will be extensively renewed. The aim is to prevent years of deterioration and make existing infrastructure more reliable, particularly on key high-capacity corridors, to increase capacity.

Significant progress has already been made following the launch of the program in September. For example, 400 train stations in Bavaria were modernized with a focus on customer proximity and future viability. In December last year, among other things, the railway lines in Werdenfels and Oberland were renovated. In total, 55 kilometers of rails and 42,000 sleepers were replaced and 85,000 tons of ballast were moved.

Future prospects for long-distance transport

The prospects for the future are also interesting: the ICE “Karwendel” could possibly start in Saarbrücken and travel to Stuttgart. However, there is an unattractive departure time of 4:30 a.m. There is also a prospect of the TALGO trains returning to Oberstdorf, which recently received approval. Meanwhile, the financing of renovation projects remains a hot topic, especially in view of the reduction in the nationwide funding volume from 40 to 27 billion euros. However, DB representative Klaus-Dieter Josel gives the all-clear and assures that financing is secured.

In the long term, replacement and diversion concepts should also be made transparent in order to maintain smooth operations in regional transport. For many travelers it means: wait and drink until the new timetables are fixed and the renovations are completed.

Overall, Deutsche Bahn has an ambitious goal in mind that is intended to significantly improve the quality and stability of train traffic. It remains to be seen whether the planned measures will bring the hoped-for success. What is certain, however, is that “not only does it work, but the passenger actually arrives,” as it said in a statement from Deutsche Bahn.

For more information on the deletions and remediation projects, please visit the articles from Mercury, BR.de and German railway.