Gelsenkirchen (dpa / lnw) – From this Thursday (September 1st), the trains on Intercity line 34 from Münster to Frankfurt / Main can also be used in the section between Dortmund and Letmathe (Iserlohn) with local transport tickets. In addition, tickets for the Verkehrsverbund Rhein Ruhr (VRR) are accepted on the long-distance route between Witten and Dortmund. The regulations will initially apply until the end of 2026. This was announced by Deutsche Bahn (DB Fernverkehr) and the two local transport associations of Westphalia-Lippe (NWL) and VRR on Monday.
The offer is intended to relieve road traffic on the Autobahn 45, which has been completely closed since December 2021 due to severe bridge damage near Lüdenscheid. The dilapidated Rahmede viaduct has to be demolished and rebuilt. Due to the closure of the so-called Sauerland line (A45) in both directions, there have been significant restrictions and disruptions in car and heavy goods traffic for months, which primarily affects the residents of Lüdenscheid.
Most recently, the IC trains between Dillenburg (Hessen) and Iserlohn-Letmathe could be used with local transport tickets at no extra charge. The service is now being expanded to include the further route to Dortmund. The trains from Dortmund to Münster and vice versa are not approved for local transport customers. However, the regulations for long-distance traffic still apply to taking bicycles with you on the IC. This means that appropriate cycling maps and reservations are required.
In the coming year there will be a new regional express (RE34) that will run between Dortmund via Witten and Letmathe/Finnentrop to Siegen. This RE34 will run every two hours and complement the IC service Münster-Dortmund-Siegen-Frankfurt. The local transport line RE34 is already included in the “Target Network 2040” of the VRR and would therefore be implemented earlier. According to the announcement, completely new electric multiple units of the type “Flirt 3 xl” from the vehicle manufacturer Stadler with “high standards of quality and comfort” are to run on the new RE34 line.
