Hesse rail chaos: Ten days of cancellations and detours hit passengers hard
Rail passengers in central Hesse are facing major disruptions from March 21 to 31, 2023. The issues stem from the demolition of a road bridge near Marburg's main station, forcing widespread cancellations and changes to services. The first wave of cancellations began on March 21, with no trains running between Marburg and Kirchhain for the rest of the day. On March 22, all services between Gießen and Kirchhain were halted until 10:00 AM. A full-day suspension will then hit the Gießen–Kirchhain route on March 30, with no trains operating until 10:00 PM.
Replacement buses have been arranged, though not all will stop directly at train stations. The ICE route between Karlsruhe and Stralsund is also affected, with trains rerouted between Frankfurt and Kassel. Stations like Frankfurt-West, Friedberg, Gießen, Marburg, Treysa, and Wabern will see no ICE stops during this period. The regional RB30 line (Frankfurt–Kassel) faces further cancellations and diversions from March 23 to 29. The bridge closure at Neue Kasseler Straße in Marburg is part of a broader wave of infrastructure projects across the region, including the Hamburg-Berlin railway closure (until June 2026) and renovations on Rödgener Straße in Gießen (until late 2027). Multiple Hessian road and bridge works are scheduled to continue through 2027.
The bridge demolition in Marburg has triggered a ten-day period of severe rail disruption. Passengers relying on the RB30 line, ICE services, and local routes must plan for cancellations, diversions, and replacement buses. The wider infrastructure projects mean similar travel challenges could persist in the region for years.
