Commuter drama: New S-Bahn stop for Porsche and DHL in sight?

Commuter drama: New S-Bahn stop for Porsche and DHL in sight?

Many commuters between Leipzig and the airport are happy about possible improvements in local public transport. The focus here is on the S-Bahn, which will serve large employers such as Porsche and DHL in the future. In recent years, traffic conditions have been inadequately optimized for the almost 20,000 S5 passengers who commute between Leipzig and Halle every day. This important railway line, which connects the region, runs under the cyclist bridge between Radefeld and the freight transport center (GVZ) in Schkeuditz. However, commuters in Schkeuditz and Radefeld currently do not have direct access to these S-Bahn stops.

The S-Bahn lines do not stop in Radefeld or the Schkeuditz East, although there are major employers located here - over 4,600 people work at the Porsche factory, while more than 7,000 people work at the DHL Air Hub. This forces many commuters to resort to buses to get to their workplaces. This is perceived as inadequate by residents and commuters, as the combination of cycling to the nearest S-Bahn station is often faster than taking a bus or car, as the local mayor Sylvia Dohr notes.

Planned improvements for commuters

In addition to the existing challenges with traffic conditions, the problem with shift changes at the Porsche factory is highlighted. A planned S-Bahn stop at the GVZ could significantly relieve the traffic situation here and improve connections. The city of Leipzig is also planning to build a new commercial area on Radefelder Allee, which will create around 3,000 new jobs.

To address these problems, a package of measures with 14 projects was created. This includes two new S-Bahn stops for lines S3 and S5. The first proposal for a stop in Radefeld dates back to 2008. However, the planning has not yet been completed and implementation could take place in 15 years at the earliest. The construction of a new S-Bahn station is innovatively estimated to cost at least 44 million euros.

The special purpose association for the Leipzig local transport area (ZVNL) is currently carrying out investigations for a station in the GVZ-Nord/Radefeld. A feasibility study for the Schkeuditz-Ost stop is already available, but still needs to be evaluated. For commuters it remains to be seen how these plans will develop and when actual implementation can take place.

Further details about the trips and the infrastructure can be found on the website MDV be read.