Köln–Frankfurt high-speed rail line, High-speed rail line between Cologne and Frankfurt, Germany.
The Köln–Frankfurt line is a 180-kilometer track that runs parallel to the A3 motorway through North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. It passes through thirty tunnels and crosses eighteen bridges along its route between the two cities.
Work started in December 1995 and lasted until July 2002, when the line opened after six billion euros in investment. Planners designed the route to navigate the rolling landscape between the two cities, requiring heavy earthworks and construction.
The connection serves business travelers and commuters who move daily between the industrial zones of the Rhineland and the banking district of Frankfurt. These passengers rely on the speed to attend meetings in different cities on the same day.
Trains reach speeds of 300 kilometers per hour (186 miles per hour) and cut the travel time between both cities to 62 minutes with stops at Siegburg and Montabaur. Travelers should note that only high-speed services use this track, while regional trains follow different routes.
The track uses slab construction instead of ballast, which reduces maintenance needs and improves stability at high speeds. Because of the four-percent gradient, only trains with powerful engines can operate along this route.
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