Actually, the trip between Stuttgart and Ulm should be a quarter of an hour faster. Only one day after the start, there were already considerable delays on the new line between Wendlingen and Ulm. The train rolled backwards on Monday morning: Due to a technical breakdown, trains towards Stuttgart had to be routed back to Ulm and routed over the old, slower route over the Alb.
Trains were sometimes more than an hour late. “We cannot dial in on the new route,” said a train driver. “On the first day we feel sorry for ourselves.” Passengers who were stuck in a tunnel for a long time were offered a hot drink as compensation.
The reason for the breakdown: According to the railways, a train driver made a mistake when starting the new train control system, the European Train Control System (ETCS). That’s why his ICE on the new line in Baden-Württemberg could not connect to the train’s control system, as a spokeswoman for the railways told the German Press Agency. “The safety systems prevented the journey from continuing and the train had to turn back.”
According to the company, this was an exception: “Since the start of operations on Sunday, 99 percent of the trains have run over the new route without any problems,” it said. The train drivers would be sensitized again. According to railway staff, there had already been disruptions and traffic jams and diverted trains on Sunday.
The new line, which cost around four billion euros, was officially inaugurated on Friday after ten years of construction and has been in regular operation with the new timetable since Sunday.
