Frankfurt’s main train station, the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, is the busiest railway station in the state of Hesse. So, in an attempt to solve traffic problems and delays, Deutsche Bahn wants to build a connected underground station and adjoining tunnel.

Plans for a new station in Frankfurt

Deutsche Bahn has announced plans to expand Frankfurt’s central station to include a new underground station and connecting tunnel for long-distance trains. The new tunnel will run to the east and west and divert long-distance traffic to the new station, leaving Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof exclusively for regional traffic.

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof is well known for causing delays, mainly due to its position as a terminus, often leading to nationwide traffic problems. The new tunnel will facilitate an extra 250 trains per day, on top of the 1.250 it already serves, and will connect to existing lines, allowing trains to travel along the north and south routes from Frankfurt. Freight traffic is also expected to benefit from the increased capacity.

Deutsche Bahn carried out a feasibility study on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport back in September 2019. The study was undertaken to determine the technical practicalities of such a project. Two other routes were considered for the study; however, the routes ran under city buildings which, due to building foundations, made construction difficult.

Building the tunnel

The project has been slated to cost around 3,6 billion euros, and is expected to be completed by 2035 at the latest. Not only will the tunnel speed up long-distance trains travelling through the Frankfurt network by about eight minutes, but it will also be “a central component for climate-friendly rail traffic and the German cycle.”

Several associations, municipalities, companies, and organisations have spoken out in favour of the project, including the RMV and NVV transport associations, the railway and transport union, the passenger association Pro Bahn and even the Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation in Germany.

In a resolution, the associations and organisations said, "With such an addition to the above-ground Frankfurt main station, the future requirements for high-performance rail traffic can be met." They see the expansion as essential to the growth of local public transport, just as long as it doesn't happen at the expense of other planned works.