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Friedberg–Hanau Railway
Friedberg–Hanau Railway
Overview
Native name	Bahnstrecke Friedberg—Hanau
Status	Operational
Owner	Deutsche Bahn
Line number	3742
Locale	Hesse, Germany
Termini	Friedberg; Hanau Hbf;
Stations	7
Service
Type	Heavy rail, passenger/freight rail; Regional rail
Route number	633
Operator(s)	DB Bahn
History
Opened	1 December 1879
Completed	15 September 1881
Technical
Line length	32.2 km (20.0 mi)
Number of tracks	Double track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	15 kV/16.7 Hz AC Overhead line
Operating speed	140 km/h (87 mph)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Friedberg–Mücke railway
	from Wölfersheim-Södel
	Nidder Valley Railway
	from Glauburg-Stockheim
	Nidderau
	(formerly Heldenbergen-Windecken)
	former Hanau Light Railway
	to Hüttengesäß
	Connecting line from
	the Kinzig Valley Railway
	Connecting line to
	Main-Spessart Railway
	Main-Spessart Railway
	from Aschaffenburg
	Source: German railway atlas

The Friedberg–Hanau railway is a 32.2 km long double-track, electrified mainline in the German state of Hesse. It connects Friedberg and Hanau. The line has the timetable number of 633 and it is integrated in the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (Rhine Main Transport Association) as Regionalbahn service RB 49.

History

The line was authorised under an act of the Prussian parliament of 11 June 1873 and opened by the Prussian state railways in two phases. The first section was opened from Hanau to Heldenbergen-Windecken (now Nidderau) on 1 December 1879. The second section opened from Heldenbergen-Windecken to Friedberg for freight on 15 September 1881 and for passenger traffic on 15 October 1881.

Significance

The importance of the route lies in freight traffic. It forms part of a trunk route from the Ruhr region to Bavaria via the Ruhr–Sieg railway, the Dill Railway and the Main–Weser Railway from Giessen to Friedberg via and continuing from Hanau via the Main–Spessart Railway.

The line is used as a detour during operational failures that occasionally occur due to the high utilisation of the Main–Weser Railway between Frankfurt and Friedberg or during construction work.

In passenger transport, the line was formerly served by the Regionalbahn trains of the Hessische Landesbahn (HLB), using GTW 2/6 rolling stock. There were no passenger services from Saturday evening until Monday morning and on public holidays. Although the line is electrified, the only vehicles used for passenger transport are diesel multiple units.

Since December 2011, DB Regio Hessen has had the concession to operate services on the line with Bombardier Talent 2 electric multiple units. As the vehicles were not yet approved for operations the line continued to be served by GTW 2-6 operated by HLB. These were staffed by DB Regio Hessen.^[2] From June 2013, DB Regio Hessen has operated this service at 2-hour intervals (every hour at peak hour on weekdays) with Talent vehicles, now numbered as RB 49.

A FLIRT passes through the former Erbstadt-Kaichen station
Crossing of GTW 2/6 and trains on the Nidder Valley Railway in Nidderau
GTW 2/6 coupled set towards Friedberg stops in Hanau Nord
Freight train in Nidderau

Notes

^ Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland (German railway atlas). Schweers + Wall. 2009. ISBN 978-3-89494-139-0.
^ "HLB-Triebzüge mit DB-Personal". Eisenbahn-Revue International (in German) (1): 6. 2012.

References

Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen, ed. (2005). Eisenbahn in Hessen. Kulturdenkmäler in Hessen. Denkmaltopographie Bundesrepublik Deutschland (in German). Vol. 2. Stuttgart: Theiss Verlag. pp. 605ff (line 40). ISBN 3-8062-1917-6.
Dieter Eckert (2006). "Güterzüge prägten das Bild der Bahn. 135 Jahre Eisenbahn Friedberg-Hanau: Bestandteil einer Hauptdurchgangslinie". Hessische Heimat (in German) (5): 17–20.