When Bavaria’s Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) and Bavaria’s Bahn boss Klaus-Dieter Josel meet in Munich to visit a construction site, they are usually lucky with the weather. On Friday they got an idea of the station construction site in Laim, where the second main route is supposed to meet the first. And just as if the project were under a lucky star, the sun shone on the new, half-finished platform and the new track 1, which is scheduled to go into operation on August 21st.
For the time being, the trains traveling out of town on the first trunk route stop here. When the second is finished sometime in the 2030s, passengers can change between the main routes on the same platform, they only need to change a few meters to the future platform 2, which is to be built by the end of 2025. The new track 1 is currently separated from the other side of the platform by a wooden shed.
However, there is still some work to be done until August 21st, which is why the main route has been completely closed since Friday evening – including during the day. During this time, the new track will be connected to the existing main line. This is followed by acceptance tests of the control and safety technology. At the very end, the new track is tested during test runs. During the closure, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will set up replacement traffic.
Passengers will only benefit from the new platform and the additional platform still to be built when the second main line goes into operation, i.e. probably around the year 2037. Nevertheless, Bernreiter showed a sunny disposition on Friday and praised the construction progress in Laim so far as a “good sign”.
Josel spoke of an “important milestone” in the construction of the second main line. After completion of the tied arch bridge at the Hirschgarten, we are looking forward to this next big step for the “mega project”. He shows all Munich residents that progress is being made.
As before, the platforms at Laim station can be reached via the existing bicycle and pedestrian underpass in the western area. In addition, further to the east, a new barrier-free access is being created via the so-called environmental network tube, which will in future be shared by pedestrians, cyclists, public buses and the new tram as an underpass. The work on the northern part of the new tube has been completed by the railways; work is currently being carried out on the southern section, with the middle section coming last. In 2025, the railway wants to hand over the tube to the city with a one-year delay. Then the roadway and tram tracks can be installed.