THE Hermann Hesse Line, linking Calw and Weil der Stadt in the southwest German state of Baden Württemberg has reopened after more than 40 years.
Named after the famous Nobel Prize-winning writer who was born in Calw, the 23km line has three intermediate stations at Calw-Heumaden, Althengstett and Ostelsheim. It is one of a number of lines recently reopened by the state government - passenger services last ran in 1983.
After a ceremonial reopening on January 31, regular RB76 services on the line began on February 1, with trains initially running hourly. The average journey time between Calw and Stuttgart with a change of train in Weil is 1 hour. Trains will run half-hourly from April 12 and will be extended to/from Renningen from June 24.
Services are provided by Baden Württemberg-owned operator Southwest German Transport (Sweg) using a fleet of three Siemens Mireo Plus B two-car BEMUs that were ordered in 2021 and delivered in 2023. The trains operate in battery mode between Weil and Calw, recharging batteries at Weil or Renningen on the electrified Stuttgart S-Bahn network.
“We are delighted to now make these innovative trains, which have already proven their worth in the Ortenau region, available on the Hermann Hesse Line as well,” says Tobias Harms, chairman of SWEG’s management board.
“Without these battery hybrid trains, electric and therefore locally emission-free transport on this route would not be possible at all.”
