Special train to Berlin: Vorpommern fights for rail expansion!

Special train to Berlin: Vorpommern fights for rail expansion!

A new initiative from Western Pomerania has made its way to Berlin to advocate a groundbreaking expansion of transport connections. A special train with over 50 ambitious passengers, including business representatives and mayors, recently started from Sassnitz on Rügen. During the journey organized by the Lausitzer Steamlok Club, the central theme was on the agenda: the urgently needed renovation of the Western Pomerania Magistrals between Berlin and Stralsund.

The focus of the trip is clearly on the demand for a speed increase to up to 160 km/h, which would shorten the connection between Berlin and Stralsund by respectable for half an hour. Economics Minister Wolfgang Blank in particular from Schwerin and the district councilors Stefan Kerth and Michael Sack support the project. "We need the rail expansion not only for tourism, but also for the regional economy," illustrated Henry Forster, Hafen boss in Mukran, the importance of the project.

political framework conditions

Despite the high priority that Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck granted expansion in the summer of 2023, the measures are currently on the brink. According to ndr.de, city Oberhäfter from Anklam, Stralsund, Greifswald and Pasewalk came to Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In a fire letter, they express their concern that the urgently needed expansion could fall by the wayside due to cost cuts. In addition, it is criticized that the planning already initiated was discontinued at the beginning of 2024, which the region could face with considerable economic difficulties.

The infrastructure bottleneck becomes particularly clear during the high season when the connection to tourism centers such as Rügen, Hiddensee and Usedom is put to the test. For this reason, the mayors demand that the planned railway expansion in combination with the built LNG terminal on Rügen is bindingly planned in the federal budget.

optimism despite setbacks

Jochen Jikeli from the alliance of action in a special train sums up: "We are optimistic that the project is prioritized by the federal government." Ost representative Carsten Schneider also gives hope: he promised that the travel time between Berlin and Rügen could be shortened by almost half an hour in the coming year. Citizens and entrepreneurs in the region now not only require quick decisions, but also noticeable progress for the economic development of Western Pomerania.

As part of the trip, the group plans to draw attention to their concerns on Monday afternoon in front of the Federal Chancellery and to persuade the responsible politicians to act. Jikeli appeals to the federal decision -making organs to record the funds required in the federal budget for 2025 so that the project does not stop as mere hope.

The commitment of the Western Pomerania once again shows how important a reliable and modern transport infrastructure is for regional development. The tour group hopes to initiate a turn that benefits the region not only in the region, but also to national traffic.