Persisting in Achieving Objectives
In August 2025, Rheinbahn, the public transport provider in Düsseldorf, introduced a new timetable aimed at improving the frequency, punctuality, and reliability of its bus and train services. This move is part of a broader effort to make Rheinbahn a genuine alternative to personal vehicles, offering a more punctual, reliable, and clean public transportation experience.
The changes have been supported by updates to the Rheinbahn App and the eezy.nrw tariff, providing users with easier travel planning, real-time information, and flexible ticket options such as the Deutschlandticket and digital subscriptions. The new schedule improves over 70 lines, which is more than half of Rheinbahn's network.
Express bus lines have also undergone changes, though specific route adjustments or frequency increases for express buses were not detailed in the available information. A new express bus line, SB53, has been introduced in cooperation with the Neuss city works, connecting Neuss districts of Reuschenberg, Hoisten, and Allerheiligen with the university and Südpark in Düsseldorf. This line is designed for commuters and students.
Andreas Hartnigk, Rütz's party colleague and transport spokesman of the city council faction, emphasizes the importance of monitoring the capacities of the Rheinbahn during the return of students and professionals, especially during peak hours. He suggests that if there are overcrowded buses and trains, the company must immediately react and run reinforcement trips during peak hours.
Regarding political feedback on these changes, no publicly available information currently documents the reactions of local politicians in Düsseldorf. However, Michael Richarz, Board of Technology and Operations, aims to make Rheinbahn the first choice for mobility in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area, while Klaus Klar, CEO and Labor Director of Rheinbahn, aims to make services more attractive and customer-friendly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Christian Rütz, chairman of the CDU Lierenfeld and candidate for the city council in Alt Eller/Vennhausen Süd, is politically active in the south of the city. He has criticised the lack of progress in certain areas, such as the long-awaited barrier-free access to the Eller Mitte S-Bahn station and the renovation of train stops like Schlesische Straße in Lierenfeld and Gumbertstraße in Eller. He also points out that we are still as far away from the 5-minute rhythm on important lines in Düsseldorf, announced by Mayor Thomas Geisel in 2014, as we are from barrier-free access on the city and streetcars in Eller and Lierenfeld.
In the evening hours from Monday to Friday, the rhythm of most buses and trains becomes denser, running frequently until 9 pm. On Saturdays, many train lines and some bus lines run more frequently between 9 am and 8 pm. The improved services aim to provide good connections to neighboring cities, with more offers on express bus lines.
Rheinbahn aims to make its services even more customer-friendly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has not yet made the punctuality promise in the VRR, which could commit itself to more timetable stability and give Düsseldorf Rheinbahn users a claim to a refund of the fare in case of delays. This is a proposal made by the CDU but has not been implemented as of now.
In conclusion, Rheinbahn's new timetable and the introduction of the SB53 express bus line mark significant steps towards improving public transportation in Düsseldorf, with a focus on frequency, punctuality, and reliability. However, there are still areas needing attention, such as accessibility and punctuality commitments, as highlighted by local politicians.
The new timetable for Rheinbahn, introduced in August 2025, not only focuses on enhancing the frequency, punctuality, and reliability of bus and train services but also extends to the sector of transportation, as evidenced by the introduction of the SB53 express bus line. This line, operating in cooperation with Neuss city works, links Neuss districts with Düsseldorf's university and Südpark, catering to commuters and students.
Meanwhile, local politicians like Christian Rütz, from the CDU, have expressed concerns about areas that require attention, such as accessibility, especially in Eller Mitte S-Bahn station and train stops like Schlesische Straße in Lierenfeld and Gumbertstraße in Eller. Strengthening these aspects, such as achieving the 5-minute rhythm on important lines in Düsseldorf and enhancing accessibility on city and streetcars in Eller and Lierenfeld, could further improve the financial and public-transit industry landscape in the region.
