Eilzüge

An Eilzug (pl: ''Eilzüge'', cs, spěšný vlak, sk, zrýchlený vlak, English: ''Regional fast train'') is a type of passenger train in German-speaking countries which roughly equates to a British 'fast-stopping train' or 'semi-fast train'. The term has largely been superseded, but is still used on some lines.

Germany

In Germany Eilzug trains were middle-distance trains that usually ran between two conurbations and only stopped at important railway stations. In several public transport systems, there are also metropolitan railways (''Stadtbahn'', US: rapid transit) where trains on some routes run as ''Eilzüge'', stopping at fewer stations. The successor to the ''Eilzug'' in Germany today is the ''Regional-Express'' train.

The term ''Eilzug'' was introduced first in Bavaria in 1902, and later in Prussia in 1907 and Saxony in 1908, for express trains with no supplementary fare, and which as a rule were formed of older compartment coaches. From about 1919 they only ran with second and third class passenger classes.

From 7 October 1928 a supplement had to be paid for ''Eilzüge'', which was usually half the express train fare. During the 1930s specific coaches or '' Eilzugwagen'' were designed and built for them. They were built in various classes until the 1950s.

From 1952 there were also the so-called ''Städteschnellzüge'' ('city express trains') that were supplement-free. Later the DB scrapped the ''Eilzug'' supplement completely; the DR followed suit in 1991. In the 1960s the concept widened. There were ''Eilzug'' trains that worked branch lines and had distinct long-distance duties - known in everyday speech as '' Heckeneilzug'' (hedgerow ''Eilzug'') – and so-called ''Bezirkseilzüge'' (district ''Eilzüge''), which handled the busy local services in built-up areas. Several of these trains have been called '' StadtExpress'' trains since 1995.

The DB's expresses (''D-Züge''), which attracted a supplementary fare until 1982, ran on some sections as ''Eilzug'' trains. For example, nos. D 895 and D 564 from Saarbrücken to Munich, which ran via the South Palatinate railway (''Südpfalzbahn'') and were classified from Karlsruhe as an ''Eilzug'' service. The international express ''Donaukurier'' (the ''Danube Courier''), D 222, from Vienna ran from Cologne to Dortmund as an ''Eilzug'' in the early 1980s.

Many ''Eilzüge'', that were formed from ''D-Zug'' coaches ran from 1982 onwards in the ''D-Zug'' category, but without supplementary fares.

As a result of the reclassification of services following the foundation of Deutsche Bahn, the ''Eilzug'' was gradually abandoned to 1995 and replaced by other train services. There is no direct successor to the ''Eilzug''; today, the ''Regional-Express'' is the closest comparable service to the ''Eilzug''.

That said, the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (AVG) runs ''Eilzüge'' on several lines. For example, they work the Alb Valley Railway, the Hardt Railway, the Kraichgau Railway and the Murg Valley Railway as S-Bahn ''Eilzug'' services of the Karlsruhe Stadtbahn network and pass many stations there without stopping. In addition, the AVG also operates several trains (comparable to the '' Regionalbahnen'') on the route from Karlsruhe Central - Bundenthal-Rumbach (May to October) as ''Eilzug'' services. These use diesel railcars.

Austria

Austria had an ''Eilzug'' category until 9 December 2006. Austrian ''Eilzüge'' usually only had second class coaches. ''Eilzug'' trains with first class seats, which also handled long-distance services, were called ''Sprinters''. Since 10 December 2006 the terms Eilzug and ''Sprinter'' have been dropped in favour of ''Regional-Express''.

Switzerland

The term ''Eilzug'' (in western Switzerland ''semi-direct'') was used for the category of train in between express trains and ordinary passenger or stopping trains (which stopped at every station). That meant it could be used for fast passenger trains, as well as express services with numerous stops and which partly ran on branch lines. Many Eilzüge'' disappeared on the systematic reorganisation of the timetable, e.g. St. Gallen – Rapperswil – Zürich, with the concentration of services, e.g. Winterthur – Bülach – Zurzach – Basle, others were upgraded to tourist trains, e.g. the '' Voralpenexpress'', and others run today as fast S-Bahn trains, e.g. S 44 on the Berne S-Bahn; the rest have mainly been reclassified as ''RegioExpress'' trains.

Czech Republic

The term ''spěšný vlak'' is still on use, and like most Czech trains, doesn't require a supplement to use. Its definition is quite similar to the German one.

See also

* ''Regional-Express''
* '' Regionalbahn''
* ''D-Zug''
* '' Eilzugwagen''
* Train categories in Europe

Sources

* :de:Eilzug

Passenger rail transport in Germany