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Chaos in the Rhine-Main rail traffic: punctuality drops dramatically!
Punctuality in Rhine-Main rail traffic has fallen: construction work and a lack of staff are leading to increasing delays and cancellations.
Chaos in the Rhine-Main rail traffic: punctuality drops dramatically!
In the Rhine-Main area, the current situation in rail traffic is causing discontent and confusion among commuters. The punctuality of the S-Bahn has fallen sharply, which is mainly due to construction-related measures. According to that Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV) Almost 50% of canceled trips are now canceled for construction and infrastructural reasons.
The numbers are alarming: While 87.8% of S-Bahn trains were on time in 2024, this value was only 86.1% at the end of June 2025. Regional trains only manage 84.0% punctuality, which represents a significant deterioration. The delays are particularly serious on the S8 and S9 lines, while the S3 is proving to be a robust line that performs above average due to shorter routes and dedicated tracks.
Challenges in rail operations
But it's not just the construction sites that pose a problem. Compliance with signal box manning suffers enormously. In the Rhine-Main area, signal boxes are only 79% occupied, compared to the national average of 96%. These deficiencies are according to a condition report by Infrago, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn, is particularly worrying. Christian Böttger, transport scientist, criticizes the fact that not enough signal box employees have been trained, which explains a fourfold increase in signal box-related train cancellations between 2023 and 2024.
Commuters in Offenbach are feeling the consequences: Ruan Sonnen, 23, and Celine Rehschuh, 22, report constant delays and inadequate information. Celine remembers a return trip that lasted two hours and 30 minutes, accompanied by misleading information about the delays.
Where is the journey leading?
Deutsche Bahn and RMV have promised improvements. 464 employees are currently being sought for various positions, particularly in the area of train traffic control. However, the cost of living in the Rhine-Main area makes recruiting difficult, which represents a worrying additional challenge. RMV boss Knut Ringat has even suggested that Opel employees affected by job cuts be retrained as drivers in order to resolve the personnel shortages.
Another problem is the constant delays, which are not only due to construction site calming, but also to passenger behavior and operations by the police and emergency services. Apostolos Koreas from the Pro Bahn passenger association is calling for more clarity and improved coordination between rail and bus traffic.
During the summer holiday season, commuters have to prepare for further restrictions: The S1, S2, S8 and S9 will only run to a limited extent due to the closure of the rail tunnel between Frankfurt and Offenbach. The continuation of all necessary measures to expand the rail infrastructure therefore remains essential.
Local public transport in the Rhine-Main area is in a critical condition and punctuality has fallen sharply due to the numerous construction sites. The RV and the DB are faced with the urgent task of regaining the trust of passengers and bringing the infrastructure into shape.