As of: February 2, 2024, 9:49 a.m
By: Christof Schnürer, Josef Hornsteiner
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Be careful on the platform!
The regional train has been stopping in Mittenwald again since yesterday.
© hornsteiner
At 5:07 a.m. on Wednesday, February 1st, a train rolled from Mittenwald towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen for the first time in almost a year.
The mood among passengers is good, even if skepticism prevails among them.
Mittenwald – The family isn’t quite sure yet.
It's 9:30 a.m.
Mom, dad and two children are standing on platform 3 of the Mittenwald train station.
The holidaymakers from Hanover are concerned with one question: Will he come or won't he come?
We're talking about the regional train.
“We were already thinking about whether we should take the bus just to be on the safe side,” reports the mother.
Ultimately, the people of Lower Saxony trust the message on the display board in the station building.
It says: Departure for Garmisch-Partenkirchen at 9:36 a.m.
“It will all go wrong,” says the 39-year-old, who wishes to remain anonymous, with practical optimism.
Why did a family at a German train station yesterday have to fear that there would be no trains running?
What sounds paradoxical has become a nervous test for the people of Mittenwald.
Since the train accident on June 3, 2022 in Partenkirchen, in addition to all the human tragedy, a lot has changed on the district's rails.
The catastrophe with five deaths, many injured and traumatized people has apparently led to a rethink on the executive floor of Deutsche Bahn AG.
It felt like every meter of rail was analyzed down to the smallest detail and repaired if necessary.
Which particularly applies to the Mittenwald – Garmisch-Partenkirchen connection.
On Thursday, for the first time, wagons were once again moving on the tracks, which - apart from a few weeks of interruption - had basically been impassable for over a year and a half.
The long-awaited means of transport finally departs from Mittenwald train station again
At 9.35 a.m., when the long-awaited means of transport from Innsbruck is still not in sight, the family from Hanover, who are waiting at platform 3 with other tourists - including from the USA - and two locals, starts to feel a little uneasy.
“Because we only have a five-minute transfer time in Garmisch-Partenkirchen,” says the wife.
“It'll be close if he's late too.” But lo and behold: the regional train arrives at 9:36 a.m.
This puts a smile on the faces of not only the passengers, but also Mayor Enrico Corongiu (SPD).
What arguments he hadn't had with those responsible for the railway in the past few weeks and months - at round tables, in emails or on phone calls.
Frustration and anger gripped the town hall boss again and again.
“And also dissatisfaction,” adds Corongiu.
“Because we have clearly recognized that we are dependent on rail.” He is not just talking about local commuters and learner drivers who have recently suffered countless bankruptcies and breakdowns in the so-called rail replacement service (we reported).
“It also had an impact on tourism.”
Because of the recent experiences with Deutsche Bahn AG, Corongiu's boundless enthusiasm for the resumption of train traffic looks different.
The mayor's skepticism also predominates for the time being.
There are still signal problems in some places (report to follow).