BERLIN, July 15 (Xinhua) -- The German rail operator Deutsche Bahn started a major general overhaul on Monday, closing a particularly busy section of track between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim in the west of the country for five months.
The closed route, known as the "Riedbahn," plays a key role in Germany's long-distance rail traffic, with one in seven connections utilizing it, according to DB. Most affected ICE and IC express trains will be rerouted, extending the travel time between the two cities by half an hour.
After many years of underfunding, the extensive overhaul is to revamp Germany's dilapidated rail network, revitalizing a total of 40 busy routes by the end of 2030. The German government is investing 40 billion euros (43.6 billion U.S. dollars) into the project by 2027.
Germany is known for its frequent rail delays. During the recently finished UEFA Euro 2024, which the country hosted, delays caused resentment among many fans and even disrupted team schedules. The Dutch team switched to a plane for the semi-final in Dortmund at short notice due to rail disruption. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollar) ■
