ICE stop at Munich Airport: City councilors call for long-distance train station for airport - "alternative to flying"

Created: 12/13/2022 3:28 p.m

By: Sascha Karowski

This is what a long-distance train station could look like.

© Airport

A long-distance train station is to be built at the airport.

That's what city councilors from the Greens, CSU and SPD want.

Corresponding plans are to be included in the Federal Traffic Routes Plan.

Munich - Whether Transrapid or express S-Bahn: For years, politicians have been looking for ways to better connect Munich Airport to local transport - because arrivals by S-Bahn sometimes take 40 minutes.

Greens, CSU and SPD in the town hall are now making a renewed push for an ICE stop in the Erdinger Moos.

ICE stop at Munich Airport: Deutsche Bahn already has corresponding plans for a connection

With a long-distance train station, the airport would have a direct connection to the long-distance traffic of Deutsche Bahn.

In the joint application, Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) is asked to campaign for the ICE to stop at the federal level.

According to the application, air and rail transport must be better networked.

A long-distance train connection to the airport should be included in the federal transport route plan.

The idea is not new, because Deutsche Bahn also has corresponding ambitions.

As reported, the company wants the airport to be connected to its long-distance network.

This would reduce the travel time for passengers between the main train station and the airport in the ICE to 15 minutes.

The plans envisage a new high-speed line to Ingolstadt and a branch from there and from the line to Landshut to the airport.

The railway planners estimate the cost of the project at around five billion euros.

ICE stop at Munich Airport: "Train must become a real alternative to flying"

"The train must become a real alternative to flying if we want to reduce the number of short flights," says CSU City Councilor Hans Hammer.

People who need to get from A to B quickly would be slowed down at Munich Airport.

“First taking the S-Bahn to the city and then catching the connecting train takes time and is nerve-wracking.

The risk of a delay increases with every change.” Many people would therefore prefer to take the connecting flight to Frankfurt or Zurich.

SPD city councilor Klaus Peter Rupp adds: “We need an efficient long-distance train station at the airport.

This is the only way we can effectively reduce the number of domestic flights as feeders for intercontinental flights.” And there would also be fewer car journeys to the airport – especially from the north – if people could travel directly by train and not first drive into the city and then then have to take the S-Bahn out again for 40 minutes.

ICE stop at Munich Airport: Long-distance train station could also provide better connections to Munich

"It is a decisive disadvantage that Munich Airport has not yet had any long-distance connections," says Green City Councilor Paul Bickelbacher.

“We Greens in particular are calling for short-haul flights to be avoided.

We want passengers to be able to travel by train for long-haul flights.” The long-distance train connection may also open up better and, above all, more reliable connections for the city of Munich and thus avoid trips by car.