The new CityBahn will be the heart of emissions-free mobility between Mainz, Wiesbaden, Taunusstein, and Bad Schwalbach. As the key building block for the transformation of transit in the region, ESWE Verkehr and MVG are planning a new rail concept. Starting in 2022, the modern streetcar will transport up to 100,000 passengers and make a significant contribution to reducing emissions and noise and increasing quality of life in the region.
CityBahn 2022 Wiesbaden & Mainz
PTV Transport Consult can help you develop and enhance local transport in your region. Its experts provide specialized input about whether new concepts make sense operationally, in terms of transport and climate policy, and economically.
Project description
ESWE Verkehr GmbH (ESWE), the Mainzer Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (MVG), and the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund GmbH (RMV) are pursuing a joint goal with the CityBahn project in Wiesbaden. The goal is to serve high-traffic corridors in Wiesbaden and to connect these with Wiesbaden's city center, the Rhein-Main University, and the main train station. Beyond city limits, the CityBahn will also link the two local capitals Wiesbaden and Mainz and connect the regions on the Rhineland Palatinate and Hessian sides. PTV Transport Consult's planning experts analyzed different variants for layout of the line and provided the bases for assessing the cost-effectiveness and eligibility for subsidies.
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Initial situation
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Despite numerous capacity-extending measures, the existing bus network had reached the limits of its capacity. At the same time, passenger counts kept increasing. Further growth could not be accommodated with the existing transport system, which is why the City of Wiesbaden plans to implement a new rail transit system.
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Analysis of route variants
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- As the first cross-city route, in the course of feasibility studies and examinations of variants, an inner city route (via Klarenthal/Kohlheck, Dotzheimer Straße, Rheinstraße, the main train station, Biebricher Allee, and along the banks of the Rhine to Mainz-Kastel) was specified as the preferred solution. Variants for the connection to the Aartalbahn were examined and assessed in transit terms
- On the Hessian side, the connection to the Aartalbahn and a reactivation of the route to Bad Schwalbach, the county seat of Rheingau-Taunus, was proposed.
- On the Mainz side, a new inner-city streetcar connection from the Theodor-Heuss bridge to the Mainz main train station is part of the project. In addition, a complete integration into the existing Mainz streetcar network is intended.
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Accompanying PR work
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The route planning and variant examinations were presented and discussed at public events. This way, numerous suggestions could be incorporated into the further technical planning. PTV is assisting with the route-finding process with transit-related assessments and cost-benefit analyses and supporting the PR work continuously with professional input.
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Standardized assessment
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In 2017, PTV obtained the contract for a standardized assessment for the incorporation of potential national and local funding sources. Here, the further development of the technical planning was constantly recorded and assessed. Furthermore, infrastructure and operating costs and the benefit that could be achieved were determined. This way, the bases for economic assessment and possible subsidies (under GVFG) are always available in timely fashion.
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Results: 100,000 passengers a day
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At the moment, there is a positive overall economic assessment of the project. Current forecast calculations assume a gain of approximately 20,000 new passengers for public transport. In total, the CityBahn will serve nearly 100,000 passengers a day. The CityBahn will thus not only be an attractive and comparatively fast means of transportation for many passengers, it will also make an important contribution to increasing the performance of the entire public transport network.
Current studies show that the CityBahn will make sense, operationally, in transport terms, and economically. In addition, it is relevant to climate policy. Many people who currently drive their cars will leave them behind and use the CityBahn instead. According to current forecasts, people would drive approximately 36 million fewer kilometers per year, which would prevent the production of approx. 4,500 t CO2 per year.
PTV performed the model calculations in a city and region-spanning transport model. The assignment calculations make an important contribution to specifying the line and service concepts for the CityBahn and the bus network coordinated with the CityBahn, as well as to the dimensioning of individual transport offerings.