EuroCity-Express

Last updated

EuroCity Express, or short ECE, is a category of Eurocity train marketed by Deutsche Bahn that runs on two routes as of 2021. It was created to classify a newly introduced international high speed train service in a higher category - equivalent to the Intercity-Express - than the existing Eurocity, which is equivalent to the "second tier" domestic Intercity.

Contents

History

ECE451 at Mannheim Hbf. ECE451 Mannheim .jpeg
ECE451 at Mannheim Hbf.

The train category was newly created with the timetable change on December 10, 2017, because the Frankfurt-Milan connection, operated with an ETR 610 of the Swiss Federal Railways, offers ICE-like travel times and comfort, according to Deutsche Bahn. Because the train would have been classified as an EC only in the second highest train category, the new EuroCity-Express category was created in line with the ICE, which is equivalent to the ICE in terms of fares. [1]

With the change of timetable on December 13, 2020, ECE trains operated by ETR 610 "Astoro" began service on the partially new electrified line between Munich and Zurich. In the medium term, the German Federal Minister of Transport, Andreas Scheuer, is aiming to integrate these connections into his concept of a "Trans-Europ-Express 2.0". [2]

Services

SBB's ETR 610 at Lindau-Reutin station. Lindau-Reutin, ECE, 1.jpg
SBB's ETR 610 at Lindau-Reutin station.

Frankfurt–Milano

The first ECE line, introduced in 2017, runs from Frankfurt Central Station via Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Freiburg and Basel to Milano Centrale station. The train is only operated as ECE in Germany (Frankfurt (Main) Hbf to Basel Bad Bf); in Switzerland and Italy, the train type is EuroCity. In terms of the timetable, this is an extension of the EC Milano Centrale-Basel SBB to the north. [3]

Munich–Zurich

The service between Munich and Zurich was launched with the timetable change in December 2020. In cooperation with SBB and ÖBB, six pairs of ECE trains are offered daily. [4] The line's launch was made possible by the electrification of the Geltendorf-Lindau section of the Buchloe–Lindau railway. Previously, four EuroCity train pairs ran daily on the connection, three of them via Memmingen, as is the case now with the ECE, and one via Kempten. The latter route was eliminated with the changeover, as the line via Kempten has not been electrified. The section to Basel SBB is discontinued as well. [5] While the former ECs went to the terminus station on the island of Lindau, the ECEs serve the long-distance through-station Lindau-Reutin solely.

Equipment

SBB's Alstom ETR 610 ("Astoro") are used: SBB RABe 503 022 was given a trinational design for the inauguration of the first ECE connection and was given the name Johann Wolfgang von Goethe at Basel SBB station on November 17, 2017. [6] SBB's Alstom ETR 610 trains with tilting technology are also in operation on the route between Munich and Zurich. [7]

Rate system

In Germany, the train is priced at the ICE fare. In Italy, on the other hand, it is sold as a regular EuroCity. In Switzerland, there is in general no differentiation in fares according to train category. In cross-border traffic to Italy, a global fare also applies, with a seat reservation included in the fare. [8]

Related Research Articles

Deutsche Bahn State-owned national railway company of Germany

Deutsche Bahn AG is the national railway company of Germany. Headquartered in the Bahntower in Berlin, it is a private joint-stock company (AG), with the Federal Republic of Germany being its single shareholder.

Intercity Express German state-owned high-speed rail system

The Intercity Express is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany. It also serves some destinations in Austria, Denmark, France, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands mostly as part of cross border services. It is the highest service category of rail and the flagship train of the German state railway, Deutsche Bahn. There are currently 259 trainsets in use. ICE trains are the highest category trains in the fare system of the Deutsche Bahn. Their fares are not calculated on a fixed per-kilometre table as with other trains, but instead have fixed prices for station-to-station connections, levied on the grounds that the ICE trains have a higher level of comfort. Travelling at speeds up to 320 km/h (200 mph), they are tailored for business travellers or long-distance commuters and are marketed by Deutsche Bahn as an alternative to flights.

Swiss Federal Railways National railway company of Switzerland

Swiss Federal Railways is the national railway company of Switzerland. It is usually referred to by the initials of its German, French, and Italian names, either as SBB CFF FFS, or used separately. The Romansh version of its name, Viafiers federalas svizras, is not officially used. The official English abbreviation is "SBB", instead of the English acronym.

EuroCity Network of train services in Europe

EuroCity, abbreviated as EC, is a cross-border train category within the European inter-city rail network. In contrast to trains allocated to the lower-level "IC" (InterCity) category, EC trains are international services that meet 20 criteria covering comfort, speed, food service, and cleanliness. Each EC train is operated by more than one European Union or Swiss rail company, under a multilateral co-operative arrangement, and all EC trains link important European cities with each other.

City Night Line, abbreviated CNL, was a train category of German railway company Deutsche Bahn for overnight passenger train services between Germany and neighbouring European countries. In late 2015, Deutsche Bahn announced that it planned to terminate all night train services in December 2016, and this plan was implemented on 11 December 2016. The service on some CNL routes was replaced by ÖBB Nightjet services.

Basel SBB railway station Train stop in northwestern Switzerland

Basel SBB railway station is the central railway station in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Opened in 1854, and completely rebuilt in 1900–1907, it is Europe's busiest international border station. As its name suggests, Basel SBB is owned by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS). The other major railway station in Basel is Basel Badischer Bahnhof, which is on the north side of the Rhine from the city centre.

Schnellzug

A Schnellzug is an express train in German-speaking countries, where it refers to trains that do not stop at all stations along a line. The term is used both generically and also as a specific train type. In Germany and Austria it is also referred to colloquially as a D-Zug, a short form of Durchgangszug, and express train services were often given numbers preceded by the letter D. The similar term, snälltåg, was used in Sweden until January 1980.

Buchloe–Lindau railway Railway line in Bavaria

The Buchloe–Lindau railway is a double-track, largely non-electrified main line in the German state of Bavaria. It runs through the Allgäu from Buchloe to Lindau in Lake Constance via Kaufbeuren and Kempten. Together with the connecting Munich–Buchloe railway it is known in German as the Bayerische Allgäubahn.

EuroCity in Germany

The German rail network provides connections to each of its neighbouring countries, many of which are under the EuroCity classification. EuroCity services are part of the Intercity network - many EC services represented a couple of train pairs on an IC route extended across the border, while other routes are served primarily by EuroCity services. EuroCity services are generally locomotive-hauled, using Intercity rolling stock, either from Deutsche Bahn or one of the other countries along the route.

Intercity (Deutsche Bahn) Locomotive-hauled long-distance passenger rail service in Germany

Intercity is the second-highest train classification in Germany, after the ICE. Intercity services are loco-hauled express train services, usually over long-distances. There are Intercity routes throughout Germany, and routes generally operate with a two-hour frequency, with multiple routes giving a more frequent service on core routes. Intercity services are operated by the DB Fernverkehr sector of Deutsche Bahn.

Lindau-Insel station

Lindau-Insel station is the largest station in the city of Lindau (Bodensee) and was its most important station until passenger service resumed at Lindau-Reutin station on December 13, 2020. In the urban area there is also Lindau-Aeschach station and Lindau-Reutin freight yard. Formerly there were also Lindau-Siebertsdorf, Lindau Langenweg, Lindau Strandbad, Schoenau, Oberreitnau and Rehlings.

The Buchloe–Memmingen railway is an approximately 45 kilometre long single-track, electrified mainline in the German state of Bavaria. It connects Buchloe and Memmingen and is part of the railway axis from Augsburg to Lindau.

Kißlegg–Hergatz railway

The Kißlegg–Hergatz railway is an 18.589 km long standard gauge main line that runs through the Allgäu in the German states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. It forms part of the Munich–Lindau upgraded line, which was completed in 2020.

<i>Bavaria</i> (train)

The Bavaria was an express train that linked München Hbf in Munich, Germany, with Zürich HB in Zurich, Switzerland. Introduced in the 1950s, it ran through to Geneva until 1969, when it was cut back to Zurich. The train was named on the basis that Bavaria is the Latin equivalent to the German word Bayern, the official name of the federal state of Bavaria, of which Munich is the capital. It was operated by the Deutsche Bundesbahn / Deutsche Bahn (DB) and the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS). The route also included a single stop in Austria, at Bregenz. The 24 km (15 mi) section between Lindau, Germany, and St. Margrethen, Switzerland, is located mostly in Austria, but Swiss locomotives hauled the train over this section, most of which is part of the Vorarlberg line of Austrian Federal Railways.

<i>Roland</i> (train) Train

The Roland was an express train that ran in Germany. For part of its existence, it was also an international train. Introduced in 1939, suspended during World War II, and reintroduced in 1952, it was operated in Germany by the Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft (DRG), the Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) and the Deutsche Bahn (DB), respectively.

Mozart was an express train that linked Paris with Vienna via Strasbourg, Stuttgart and Munich. The service began in 1954, as an F-Zug running between Strasbourg and Salzburg, before being extended ten years later. In 1983 it was re-classified as an FD-Zug and it was added to the EuroCity network in 1989. It operated until 2007, when it was replaced by a TGV service on the newly opened LGV Est. It was named after the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and served many cities with which he had an association.

Kemptthal railway station

Kemptthal railway station is a railway station in the Swiss canton of Zurich and municipality of Lindau. The station is located on the Zurich to Winterthur main line and is an intermediate stop on Zurich S-Bahn service S7 and S24.

Lindau-Reutin station Railway station in Bavaria

Lindau-Reutin station is a junction station in the town of Lindau, where the Aeschach curve branches off from the Lindau–Bludenz line. It is also a border station with Austria. In the course of the reconstruction of the Lindau rail hub, which began in 2016, the rail facilities, which were last used only as a goods station, were expanded into Lindau's new long-distance train station, which went into operation in 2020. In contrast to the terminus station Lindau-Insel, which opened in 1854, the station in the most populous district Reutin is a through station on the mainland. A station for local passenger services opened at Lindau-Reutin as Lindau-Lokalbahnhof in 1876 and was known as Lindau-Ost from 1911 but the last passenger services to it ended in 1980. The station building is located on Bregenzer Straße, on a level with Berliner Platz.

Munich–Buchloe railway

The Munich–Buchloe railway is a double-track, electrified main line in Bavaria, Germany. The 60 kilometre-long line runs from Munich Pasing via Geltendorf and Kaufering to Buchloe. Together with the Buchloe–Kempten–Lindau line, it is known as the Allgäubahn. The line is owned and maintained by DB Netz.

ICN (Train Service)

The term ICN referred to a railway product offered by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS); this is an InterCity connection provided by tilting trains. These services were merged into the InterCity (IC) offer on 10 December 2017, date of entry into service of the 2018 timetable.

References

  1. Doll, Nikolaus (2017-10-17). "EuroCity-Express (ECE): Warum die Deutsche Bahn eine neue Zuggattung startet". DIE WELT. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  2. Kym, Thomas Griesser. "Mehr Tempo auf der Schiene: Reisende aus der Ostschweiz fahren mit dem Zug bald geschwinder nach München". St.Galler Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  3. Huber, Franziska. "Auf einer Strecke: Deutsche Bahn setzt ab Dezember einen komplett neuen Zug ein". CHIP Online (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  4. "Hamburg–Berlin im Halbstundentakt | Deutsche Bahn AG". www.deutschebahn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  5. "Neuer EuroCity-Express zwischen München und Zürich". Mynewsdesk (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  6. Schenk, Peter. "Zugtaufe - Durch den Gotthard: Neue direkte Zug-Verbindung von Basel nach Mailand". Aargauer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  7. "Mit dem "Astoro" schneller in die Schweiz". OVB Heimatzeitungen (in German). Retrieved 2021-07-12.
  8. "Eurocity-Express: Neue Zuggattung der Bahn". Zugreiseblog (in German). 2017-10-15. Retrieved 2021-07-12.