NB: The scheduled routes given here are based primarily on the timetable of the
Deutsche Bahn
(, ; abbreviated as DB or DB AG ) is the national railway company of Germany, and a state-owned enterprise under the control of the German government. Headquartered in the Bahntower in Berlin, it is a joint-stock company ( AG).
DB was fou ...
dated 9 December 2007.
[In addition the list of routes (see external links) reflects those of the German Regional Railway (''Deutsche Regionaleisenbahn'') as at 20 January 2008]
Timetable routes
The numbering of German timetabled routes (''Kursbuchstrecken'' or ''KBS'') was changed twice by the
Deutsche Bundesbahn
Deutsche Bundesbahn (, ) or DB () was formed as the state railway of the newly established West Germany (FRG) on 7 September 1949 as a successor of the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft (DRG). The DB remained the state railway of West Germany u ...
after the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, in 1950 and 1970. In the
Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany)
The Deutsche Reichsbahn (, ) or DR was the operating name of state owned railways in East Germany, and after German reunification until 1 January 1994.
In 1949, occupied Germany's railways were returned to German control after four years of ...
the numbering system was completely changed in 1968. The last major revision took place after
German reunification
German reunification () was the process of re-establishing Germany as a single sovereign state, which began on 9 November 1989 and culminated on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of the East Germany, German Democratic Republic and the int ...
in 1992, as a result of which a common system for DB and DR routes was introduced. In addition changes, usually minor, are made annually.
Hamburg and coastal region (100 to 199)
''(former
Bundesbahn division of
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
and
Reichsbahn divisions Schwerin and Greifswald)''
Berlin/Brandenburg/Saxony-Anhalt/East Saxony (200 to 299)
Lower Saxony/Saxony-Anhalt region (300 to 399)
''(ehem. Bundesbahndirektion
Hanover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
)''
North Rhine-Westphalia Region (400 to 499)
''(former
Bundesbahn divisions
Essen
Essen () is the central and, after Dortmund, second-largest city of the Ruhr, the largest urban area in Germany. Its population of makes it the fourth-largest city of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne, Düsseldorf and Dortmund, as well as ...
and
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
, see also:
List of SPNV lines in NRW)''
Saxony/Thuringia region (500 to 599)
''As at timetable period 2016/2017''
West Thuringia/Hesse/Nordbaden/Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland Region (600 to 699)
''(former RBD
Erfurt
Erfurt () is the capital (political), capital and largest city of the Central Germany (cultural area), Central German state of Thuringia, with a population of around 216,000. It lies in the wide valley of the Gera (river), River Gera, in the so ...
,
Bundesbahn divisions
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
and
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken (; Rhenish Franconian: ''Sabrigge'' ; ; ; ; ) is the capital and largest List of cities and towns in Germany, city of the state of Saarland, Germany. Saarbrücken has 181,959 inhabitants and is Saarland's administrative, commerci ...
, see also:
List of RMV lines)''
Baden-Württemberg region (700 to 799)
''(former
Bundesbahn divisions
Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...
and
Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...
)''
: * This description is not used in the timetable, but is a commonly used name for the line.
: ** By ''Rems Railway'' only the section from Stuttgart to Aalen is implied today; KBS 786 includes the whole route to Nuremberg however. Originally the ''Rems Valley Railway'' ran further to
Nördlingen
Nördlingen (; Swabian: ''Nearle'' or ''Nearleng'') is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, with a population of approximately 20,674. It is located approximately east of Stuttgart, and northwest of Munich. It was ...
(see KBS 995), this section is designated by the DB today as the ''Ries Railway'' (derived from the landscape of the Nördlinger Ries).
North Bavarian region (800 to 899)
''(former
Bundesbahn divisions
Nuremberg
Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
,
Regensburg
Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...
)''
North Bavarian/South Bavarian region (900 to 999)
''(former
Bundesbahn divisions
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
,
Augsburg
Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...
, parts of
Regensburg
Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...
and
Nuremberg
Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...
)''
Mountain railways
Museum railways and park railways
See also
*
Rail transport in Germany
Rail transport in Germany is provided predominantly by ''Deutsche Bahn'' (DB, ). , the railway network in Germany (DB only) had a length of , of which were electrified and were double track. About are high-speed railway lines. Germany has th ...
*
German railway station categories
The approximately 5,400 railway stations in Germany that are owned and operated by the subsidiary DB InfraGO are divided into seven categories, denoting the service level available at the station.
This categorisation influences the amount of mon ...
*
Railway station types of Germany
References
External links
Online timetable of DB servicesDB-KursbuchDRE-Streckenverzeichnis
{{German railway stations
Railway lines in Germany
Railway routes