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| Cottbus railway | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cottbus railway |
| Locale | Cottbus, Brandenburg, Germany |
| Start | Cottbus Hauptbahnhof |
| End | Berlin / Guben (historical branches) |
| Open | 19th century |
| Owner | Deutsche Bahn |
| Operator | DB Fernverkehr, DB Regio, Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn |
| Linelength | approx. 100 km |
| Gauge | 1435 mm (standard gauge) |
| Electrification | 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC |
Cottbus railway is a regional railway serving Cottbus and linking the city with Berlin, Guben, Görlitz, Hoyerswerda and other towns in Brandenburg and Saxony. It emerged in the 19th century during the expansion of railways associated with the Industrial Revolution in Prussia and later became part of networks managed by Reichsbahn and Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR), before integration into Deutsche Bahn after German reunification. The line functions as a mixed-traffic corridor with passenger, regional, and freight services, connecting to long-distance routes to Dresden and international links toward Poland.
Origins trace to private and state initiatives in Prussia during the 19th century when companies such as the Berlin–Görlitz Railway Company and the Berlin-Anhaltische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft expanded regional links. Construction coincided with industrial growth in Lausitz and coal mining around Hoyerswerda and Spremberg, leading to branch lines to serve collieries and industries tied to the German Empire's transport policy. During the Weimar Republic the network underwent rationalisation under the Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft; wartime damage in World War II and postwar reparations affected track and services. Under the German Democratic Republic the line was incorporated into Deutsche Reichsbahn (GDR) operations, with emphasis on freight for Wismut and lignite industries; electrification and modernization proceeded unevenly. After 1990 the Deutsche Bahn reforms, EU transport policies, and regional planning by the Brandenburg Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Planning influenced service patterns, infrastructure funding from the European Regional Development Fund, and regionalisation agreements with Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser and other operators.
The corridor radiates from Cottbus Hauptbahnhof linking to Berlin Hauptbahnhof via junctions at Lübben (Spreewald), Falkenberg/Elster, and connections toward Dresden Hauptbahnhof and Görlitz Hauptbahnhof. Key structures include bridges over the Spree and heritage stations such as Cottbus-Sandow and Guben Bahnhof, interchanges with the S-Bahn Berlin network at outer termini, and freight marshalling yards influenced by layouts used by DB Cargo and regional operators. Track infrastructure comprises double-track sections, single-track branches, German standard 1435 mm gauge, and electrification at 15 kV 16.7 Hz, with signalling upgrades from mechanical interlockings to electronic interlockings by companies like Siemens Mobility and Thales Group. Stations feature platform heights conforming to requirements of the Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt), accessibility improvements under Barrier-free construction law (Germany), and connections to regional bus networks such as Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg.
Passenger services include regional express and regionalbahn services operated by DB Regio and contracts awarded through the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB), with supplementary services by private operators like Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn under public service obligation contracts supervised by the Brandenburg public transport authority. Timetables integrate with long-distance services run by DB Fernverkehr for through connections to Leipzig and Munich. Freight operations are coordinated with DB Cargo and private logistics firms, handling bulk commodities from Lignite mines and intermodal freight to terminals connected to the Dresden freight ring. Operations adhere to standards set by the European Union Agency for Railways and national rules from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.
Rolling stock historically ranged from steam locomotives of builders like Henschel and Borsig to electric multiple units and diesel multiple units from manufacturers including Bombardier Transportation, Siemens, and Alstom Deutschland. Current passenger fleets include Talent DMUs, Bombardier Talent 2 EMUs, and locomotive-hauled regional sets such as those with DB Class 143 and DB Class 232 derivatives where applicable. Freight traction uses DB Class 185 electric locomotives and multi-system locomotives for cross-border services to Poland. Onboard and wayside technology features the European Train Control System (ETCS) pilot projects, automatic train protection systems, and passenger information systems from suppliers like Thales Group and Knorr-Bremse.
Major stations offer ticket halls with services from Deutsche Bahn, waiting rooms, retail outlets operated by chains such as LE CROBAG and regional vendors, and accessibility features funded via the Investitionsprogramm Bahnhöfe. Intermodal connections provide links to BER Airport (Berlin Brandenburg Airport) via bus and rail shuttle services, bicycle parking conforming to ADFC recommendations, and park-and-ride facilities encouraged by municipal authorities in Cottbus and surrounding districts. Heritage stations retain architecture influenced by designers associated with the Royal Prussian Railway Administration and feature plaques and exhibits curated by local museums such as the Cottbus Museum.
Freight traffic historically concentrated on coal, lignite, timber, and chemical freight linked to industrial sites in Lausitz and chemical works near Guben; contemporary flows include intermodal containers, biomass, and aggregates. Freight terminals interface with national corridors to Hamburg and Dresden and cross-border freight to Poland via border junctions at Forst (Lausitz). Logistics providers including DB Cargo, Hupac, and regional forwarding firms operate scheduled and ad hoc services, using marshalling yards, bulk terminals, and transshipment facilities compliant with TEN-T corridor standards.
Planned upgrades encompass electrification completion on remaining non-electrified sections, ETCS implementation under European Railway Traffic Management System directives, station modernisation funded through Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan (Bundesverkehrswegeplan), and capacity enhancements to support increased regionalisation and freight demand connected to EU green transport goals. Proposals under discussion involve integration with greater Berlin S-Bahn extensions, platform height standardisation per TSI PRM accessibility rules, and potential private-public partnerships involving companies such as Siemens Mobility and infrastructure investors adhering to EU State aid guidelines. Local and regional stakeholders including the Landkreis Spree-Neiße and the Brandenburg Ministry of Finance are engaged in planning, with timelines subject to federal approvals and budget allocations.
Category:Rail transport in Brandenburg Category:Cottbus Category:Railway lines in Germany