Together for the preservation of long-distance transport

Joint press release by the Burgenland district, the city of Gera and the city of Jena

The announcement that Deutsche Bahn AG is discontinuing the IC connection on the Gera-Cologne route (IC line 51) and the Karlsruhe - Nuremberg - Leipzig route through the Saale valley (IC line 61) has been met with great incomprehension in the Thuringian cities of Jena and Gera and the neighboring Burgenland district (Saxony-Anhalt). Both lines also connect regional stations, for example the Saale towns of Naumburg and Weißenfels or Hermsdorf - Bad Klosterlausnitz in the Saale-Holzland district of Thuringia, sometimes via different parts of the line. This complements other long-distance connections as well as part of the "Central Germany Connection", which runs from Chemnitz via Gera and Jena to Weimar, where it is connected to long-distance services.

"We know that Good rail transport is of considerable importance for the positive further development of the Central German region. It is not only local transport that plays an important role here, but above all the integration of rural areas and cities into long-distance transport. Intercity lines 51 and 61 represent an important interface between regional and long-distance transport for Naumburg and Weißenfels. In this respect, the discontinuation of the lines would be a serious step backwards and also a considerable setback for our joint efforts within the entire metropolitan region of Central Germany," commented the district administrator of the Burgenland district, Götz Ulrich, on the news.

Jena's Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche makes it clear:

"Jena thrives on a long and successful university tradition and numerous internationally active companies - including many start-ups, but also long-established companies such as Schott, Zeiss and Jenoptik. The university, the college and these companies are the driving force behind Jena's successful development. Thanks to this economic and scientific landscape, Jena is a location with outstanding development prospects. However, this requires a modern, well-developed infrastructure, which naturally includes connections to a well-timed long-distance rail network.

The numerous employees, business partners, customers, students, teachers and commuters depend on reliable and fast connections to Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich on a daily basis. The connection to a well-functioning long-distance transport network is an important location factor for the development of Jena, the surrounding area and the whole of Thuringia. It is the central prerequisite for growth and employment in the region. If the IC connections were lost, Jena and the region would miss out dramatically."

Gera's mayor Kurt Dannenberg adds:

"The future competitiveness of Gera, as well as the entire region of Eastern Thuringia, is largely dependent on modern rail transportation. Long-distance transport plays an important role in this, as it gives people the opportunity to travel long distances quickly and move around the state flexibly. Gera currently only has one connection of this kind, line 51. Losing it would be a bitter loss, especially as there are no alternative long-distance routes to switch to. Therefore, such a step would not be accepted without further ado.

With the electrification of the Central Germany line, important steps are being taken to enable better networking of the Central German region and thus also to strengthen rail as a sustainable mobility option. The fact that Deutsche Bahn is now apparently considering cutting this important long-distance artery for financial reasons would set the region back years in our further development and counteract the major goals we have set ourselves with regard to the transport transition. Making mobility sustainable is a task for society as a whole and must not depend on where it is economically profitable."