New Rügen Bäderbahn railway depot and tourist experience landscape opened

On Friday (24 May), State Secretary for Transport Ines Jesse officially opened the new railway workshop of the Rügen Bäderbahn and the first part of the "Tourist Experience Landscape" at Putbus railway station. "The new workshop in Putbus creates the conditions for reliable railway operations on the line from Bergen to Lauterbach Mole and the route of the Raging Roland in the south-east of Rügen. Tourist and infrastructural construction projects of this magnitude play an important role as an engine for regional development and local tourism. At the same time, important foundations are being laid for the future of local rail passenger transport in the region," said Ines Jesse, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour.

The project is a joint venture. Eisenbahn-Bau und Betriebsgesellschaft Pressnitztalbahn mbH, the operator of the narrow-gauge railway, has taken on the new construction work as the client and is handing over the completed workshop to the district of Vorpommern-Rügen. In addition to a tourist railway experience landscape, the project also includes a new main workshop. In the new carriage shed, there is an exhibition area for historic carriages and a barrier-free viewing platform. "The 'Racing Roland' in particular is more than just a means of transport. The train also symbolises the history and charm of the island of Rügen. The nostalgic atmosphere and the picturesque landscape along the route make a journey an unforgettable experience," said Jesse.

Mobility offensive Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The aim of the state's mobility offensive - accompanied by favourable ticket prices and the introduction of modern, digital fare and sales structures - is to create a state mobility network with nationwide, fast, interlinked rail and bus services and on-call buses. To this end, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has defined three fields of action: Expansion and performance strategy for local rail passenger transport (SPNV), introduction of a state-wide bus network (Regiobus MV) with regular interval services and the introduction of a standardised state-wide on-call bus system. With the launch of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's mobility campaign at the timetable change in December 2023, the state has ordered 1.2 million more kilometres of SPNV service, the largest increase in service since 1994/1995. "We have also ordered additional trains on the island of Rügen and here in Putbus. This increase in capacity must be safely put on the rails. We need an efficient infrastructure for this mobility offensive. The new workshop in Putbus is an important component of the state's mobility offensive, which we are implementing together with the transport companies," said Jesse.

Ministry of Economic Affairs provides local support

The total investment for the construction of the new Putbus depot and the remodelling of the track and safety facilities amounts to around 37.7 million euros. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is supporting the project with regionalisation funds totalling around 25.9 million euros and around 11.8 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The district of Vorpommern-Rügen has received funding totalling around 10.1 million euros, or 90% of the eligible costs, from the EU funds available to the state for the "Touristic Experience Landscape".

Event information

There will be a big railway station festival in Putbus on 25 and 26 May 2024. Visitors can visit the railway adventure landscape for the first time on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. Guided tours are offered and everyone is invited to take a ride on the trolley and locomotive. Special train rides with traditional trains between Putbus and Binz are also possible. Historical vehicles will also be travelling on the Bergen auf Rügen - Putbus - Lauterbach Mole line.