Eilzug
Encyclopedia
An Eilzug is a type of passenger train in German-speaking countries which roughly equates to a British 'fast-stopping train' or 'semi-fast train'.
, US: rapid transit) where trains on some routes run as Eilzüge, stopping at fewer stations. The successor to the Eilzug in Germany today is the Regional-Express train.
The term Eilzug was introduced first in Bavaria
in 1902, and later in Prussia
in 1907 and Saxony
in 1908, for express train
s with no supplementary fare, and which as a rule were formed of older compartment coach
es. From about 1919 they only ran with second and third class passenger classes.
From 7 October 1928 a supplement had to be paid for Eilzüge, which was usually half the express train fare. During the 1930s specific coaches or Eilzugwagen
were designed and built for them. They were built in various classes until the 1950s.
From 1952 there were also the so-called Städteschnellzüge ('city express trains') that were supplement-free. Later the DB scrapped the Eilzug supplement completely; the DR followed suit in 1991. In the 1960s the concept widened. There were Eilzug trains that worked branch lines and had distinct long-distance duties - known in everyday speech as Heckeneilzug (hedgerow Eilzüg) – and so-called Bezirkseilzüge (district Eilzüge), which handled the busy local services in built-up areas. Several of these trains have been called StadtExpress trains since 1995.
The DB's expresses (D-Züge), which attracted a supplementary fare until 1982, ran on some sections as Eilzug trains. For example, nos. D 895 and D 564 from Saarbrücken
to Munich
, which ran via the South Palatinate railway
(Südpfalzbahn) and were classified from Karlsruhe as an Eilzug service. The international express Donaukurier (the Danube Courier), D 222, from Vienna
ran from Cologne
to Dortmund
as an Eilzug in the early 1980s.
Many Eilzüge, that were formed from D-Zug coaches ran from 1982 onwards as D-Züge without supplementary fares.
had an Eilzug category until 9 December 2006. Austrian Eilzüge usually only had second class coaches. Eilzug trains with first class seats, which also handled long-distance services, were called Sprinters. Since 10 December 2006 the terms Eilzug and Sprinter have been dropped in favour of Regional-Express.
– Rapperswil
– Zürich
, with the concentration of services, e.g. Winterthur
– Bülach
– Zurzach – Basle, others were upgraded to tourist trains, e.g. the Voralpenexpress, and others run today as fast S-Bahn
trains, e.g. S 44 on the Berne
S-Bahn; the rest have mainly been reclassified as RegioExpress
trains.
Germany
In Germany Eilzug trains were middle-distance trains that usually ran between two conurbations and only stopped at important railway stations. In several public transport systems, there are also metropolitan railways (StadtbahnStadtbahn
A ' is a tramway or light railway that includes segments built to rapid transit standards, usually as part of a process of conversion to a metro railway, mainly by the building of tunnels in the central city area....
, US: rapid transit) where trains on some routes run as Eilzüge, stopping at fewer stations. The successor to the Eilzug in Germany today is the Regional-Express train.
The term Eilzug was introduced first in Bavaria
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
in 1902, and later in Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
in 1907 and Saxony
Kingdom of Saxony
The Kingdom of Saxony , lasting between 1806 and 1918, was an independent member of a number of historical confederacies in Napoleonic through post-Napoleonic Germany. From 1871 it was part of the German Empire. It became a Free state in the era of Weimar Republic in 1918 after the end of World War...
in 1908, for express train
Express train
Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station...
s with no supplementary fare, and which as a rule were formed of older compartment coach
Compartment coach
A compartment coach is a railway passenger coach divided into separate areas or compartments, with no means of moving between each compartment.- English origins :...
es. From about 1919 they only ran with second and third class passenger classes.
From 7 October 1928 a supplement had to be paid for Eilzüge, which was usually half the express train fare. During the 1930s specific coaches or Eilzugwagen
Eilzugwagen
The Eilzugwagen was a type of railway passenger coach specially developed for German semi-fast trains, known as Eilzüge. These coaches were first built in the 1930s and continued to be produced until the 1950s. Today all coaches of this type have been retired...
were designed and built for them. They were built in various classes until the 1950s.
From 1952 there were also the so-called Städteschnellzüge ('city express trains') that were supplement-free. Later the DB scrapped the Eilzug supplement completely; the DR followed suit in 1991. In the 1960s the concept widened. There were Eilzug trains that worked branch lines and had distinct long-distance duties - known in everyday speech as Heckeneilzug (hedgerow Eilzüg) – and so-called Bezirkseilzüge (district Eilzüge), which handled the busy local services in built-up areas. Several of these trains have been called StadtExpress trains since 1995.
The DB's expresses (D-Züge), which attracted a supplementary fare until 1982, ran on some sections as Eilzug trains. For example, nos. D 895 and D 564 from Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, which ran via the South Palatinate railway
South Palatinate railway
The South Palatinate railway or Südpfalzbahn is a railway line in western Germany that runs from Landau via Pirmasens and Zweibrücken to Rohrbach....
(Südpfalzbahn) and were classified from Karlsruhe as an Eilzug service. The international express Donaukurier (the Danube Courier), D 222, from Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
ran from Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
to Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
as an Eilzug in the early 1980s.
Many Eilzüge, that were formed from D-Zug coaches ran from 1982 onwards as D-Züge without supplementary fares.
Austria
AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
had an Eilzug category until 9 December 2006. Austrian Eilzüge usually only had second class coaches. Eilzug trains with first class seats, which also handled long-distance services, were called Sprinters. Since 10 December 2006 the terms Eilzug and Sprinter have been dropped in favour of Regional-Express.
Switzerland
The tern Eilzug (in western Switzerland semi-direct) was used for the category of train in between express trains and ordinary passenger or stopping trains (which stopped at every station). That meant it could be used for fast passenger trains, as well as express services with numerous stops and which partly ran on branch lines. Many Eilzüge disappeared on the systematic reorganisation of the timetable, e.g. St. GallenSt. Gallen
St. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
– Rapperswil
Rapperswil
Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, the municipality includes Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, Wagen, and Wurmsbach.-Today:On...
– Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, with the concentration of services, e.g. Winterthur
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...
– Bülach
Bülach
Bülach is a municipality in Switzerland in the canton of Zurich, located in the district of the same name, and belongs to the Glatt Valley .-History:Bülach is first mentioned in 811 as Pulacha...
– Zurzach – Basle, others were upgraded to tourist trains, e.g. the Voralpenexpress, and others run today as fast S-Bahn
S-Bahn
S-Bahn refers to an often combined city center and suburban railway system metro in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark...
trains, e.g. S 44 on the Berne
Berne
The city of Bern or Berne is the Bundesstadt of Switzerland, and, with a population of , the fourth most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 43 municipalities, has a population of 349,000. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000...
S-Bahn; the rest have mainly been reclassified as RegioExpress
RegioExpress
The RegioExpress is a fast regional train in Switzerland, run by the Swiss Federal Railways or by other private railways ....
trains.
See also
- Regional-Express
- RegionalbahnRegionalBahnThe Regionalbahn is a type of local passenger train in Germany.-Service:Regionalbahn trains usually call at all stations on a given line, with the exception of RB trains within S-Bahn networks, these may only call at selected stations...
- D-Zug
- EilzugwagenEilzugwagenThe Eilzugwagen was a type of railway passenger coach specially developed for German semi-fast trains, known as Eilzüge. These coaches were first built in the 1930s and continued to be produced until the 1950s. Today all coaches of this type have been retired...
- Train categories in EuropeTrain categories in EuropeRailway companies in Europe assign their trains to different categories or train types depending on their role. Passenger trains may be broadly split into long-distance and local trains; the latter having average journey times of under an hour and a range of less than 50 kilometres. Goods trains...
External links
- There is a relevant English-language forum at Railways of Germany