The state capitals of Wiesbaden and Mainz criticize Deutsche Bahn's communication regarding the renovation work and the cancelled S-Bahn connections. From Saturday, May 3, the S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 between Wiesbaden, Mainz and Kelsterbach will be canceled all day until probably May 23.

This means that connections to Frankfurt Airport will be severely restricted. A rail replacement service will be offered on the S9 line; however, the journey time will be doubled to 70 minutes. The capacity of the regional train RB75, which runs every half hour, apparently cannot be increased.

The state capital of Wiesbaden does not understand why the railroad is not operating a shuttle service between Wiesbaden and Mainz or Mainz-Bischofsheim, as this section of the line is not affected by the construction work. "We were particularly annoyed by the lack of communication. In the past, we were informed of such massive restrictions well in advance, but in this case we found out about them through third parties," criticized Wiesbaden's Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende. "It is particularly annoying that Deutsche Bahn has not planned any replacement services between Wiesbaden and Mainz. Bus route 6, which connects the two state capitals, has no further capacity to absorb the additional commuter traffic."

The state capitals nevertheless want to try to increase bus services in the short term.

His counterpart in Mainz, Nino Haase, agrees with Mende's comments: "This short-term and massive intervention in central connections within the Rhine-Main region without any prior coordination of replacement services raises fundamental questions - public transport in the connection between two neighboring state capitals is thus almost at a standstill.

The complete discontinuation of all connections of the S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 between Kelsterbach and Mainz/Wiesbaden as well as large-scale detour of regional and long-distance traffic will have an enormous impact on the citizens of our region.

At the same time, the connection to the central Rhine-Main area is deteriorating - fundamental impairments in passenger transport are having an impact across Rheinhessen as far as Koblenz. The timing of the closure just one day before our half marathon and the Mainz-Frankfurt match is an inglorious crowning glory. The fact that such a cut was communicated just a few days in advance - and in an unclear manner at that - leaves me shaking my head. This form of communication with immense consequences for the countless passengers - far beyond Mainz - is completely unacceptable, customer-unfriendly and inexplicable," says Haase.

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