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New Deutsche Bahn timetable: What travelers need to know now!
The new Deutsche Bahn timetable from December 2025 disappoints Friedberg: fewer long-distance trains and construction sites are putting a strain on traffic.
New Deutsche Bahn timetable: What travelers need to know now!
A lot is happening in rail transport! On October 15, 2025, Deutsche Bahn's new timetable will come into force, which will significantly change travel between the metropolises of Hamburg, Kassel and Frankfurt. As op-online.de reports, the focus is on the heavily frequented routes, which will now offer more trips. This is intended, in particular, to further optimize the connection between major cities and cover growing travel needs.
However, there are also controversial changes. From mid-December 2025, the number of long-distance trains stopping in Friedberg will be drastically reduced. Instead of the usual number, only two ICE trains are planned per day in the future. This change has met with sharp criticism from both regional transport associations and the city of Friedberg. This unpleasant news comes in the shadow of upcoming major construction projects that will further impact rail traffic in 2026.
A look into the future: roadmap 2026
From December 14, 2025, a revised timetable will also come into force for Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. DB board member Michael Peterson emphasizes that demand for rail journeys is constantly increasing. One of the biggest innovations will be the introduction of a half-hourly ICE service between Hamburg-Kassel and Kassel-Frankfurt-Mannheim. The route between Hamburg and Hanover to Munich will also be upgraded by being equipped with high-quality 12-car ICE 4 trains.
But that's not all: the new departure times should enable shorter waiting times and faster connections to Paris. There are also additional IC trips for cities such as Koblenz, Andernach and Remagen. The connection for Bad Hersfeld to Halle and Berlin will also be improved, so that travelers can look forward to attractive new connections. Tickets for the new timetable can be booked up to twelve months in advance from October 15, 2025, making travel even more flexible [deutschebahn.com].
Construction sites and restrictions
However, the anticipation of the new travel options may be clouded by the upcoming construction sites. Five major construction sites are planned in Hesse in 2026, including the route from Troisdorf to Wiesbaden. The route between “Frankfurt Mühlberg” and “Offenbach Ost” will also be completely closed during the autumn holidays, which will affect four S-Bahn lines.
So there will soon be a lot of changes across the entire rail system - some welcome, some not. Customers are called upon to find out about the new timetables and connections in good time so that they can plan well for their upcoming trips. One thing is certain: Deutsche Bahn has a lot in store and is getting ready for the future!