Frankfurt subways: Higher frequency from August 18th for U4 and U5!

Frankfurt subways: Higher frequency from August 18th for U4 and U5!

Frankfurt subway users can breathe a sigh of relief: fromAugust 18, 2023The frequency of the subway lines U4 and U5 will be increased. This positive development is a response to the increased need and the successful recruitment of drivers. Frankfurt's head of mobility, Wolfgang Siefert, confirms the return to the old timetable and emphasizes that the measures will significantly improve accessibility to the city center. Schiene.de reports that during the week the trains now run every five minutes during peak hours and every seven and a half minutes outside of these times.

But that's not all: on Saturday afternoons the frequency will be increased from ten to seven and a half minutes, while on Sundays and public holidays the U5 now runs every ten minutes instead of every 15 minutes. This means that the capacities on the U4 will increase by an impressive amount50 percent. A real win for all commuters and passengers!

Review of the challenges

This is a significant step for VGF, the Frankfurt transport company, after...January 2024had to reduce the timetable due to a lack of staff and the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, as Hessenschau reports, the “honest timetable” was introduced, which initially applied until the 2024 summer holidays. According to transport department head Siefert, special challenges had to be overcome in the form of a high level of sickness and a noticeable shortage of skilled workers.

The reductions led to short-term trip cancellations and a reduction in performance of around seven percent. However, with 986 drivers employed by VGF in June 2025, there is a positive development in the personnel area: compared to 2023 (899 drivers) and 2022 (886 drivers), we are on the right track. The VGF has managed to steadily increase the number of employees. However, in order to enable a full return to the old rhythm, 133 new drivers are still needed for 2025. If the staff increase is successful, the hope that more lines will return to their original frequency in the upcoming timetable change in December is more than just a wish.

The way forward

The VGF is investing heavily in the future in order to cover the need for drivers in the long term. In addition to permanent employment contracts and increased salaries, the company is aiming to attract new employees with an employer branding campaign. Special recruiting events and a significantly increased training capacity should also help to close the personnel bottlenecks. The number of training places for 2025 was increased to 221 places, after 156 in 2024 and only 122 in 2023.

Things are looking up for Frankfurt's local transport. By returning to the old timetable on the U4 and U5, an important step could be taken towards more reliability and better accessibility. In times when local public transport is in greater demand than ever, Frankfurt shows that with a good hand and the right commitment you can emerge stronger from difficult times. VGF Frankfurt keeps everyone affected informed and confirms that things should improve in the future.