Effect of an Integrated Clockface Timetable (DEUTSCHLAND-TAKT) on the Rail Passenger Demand in Germany

A nationwide integrated clockface timetable for Germany, known as “Deutschland-Takt”, has been discussed for a while; and a study on behalf of the federal government is ongoing. The analysis of three scenarios shows a benefit for medium cities, profiting from shorter connections in neighbouring node stations to long-distance trains in all directions. The analysis of a proposal by Breuer and Uekermann for a specific clockface timetable also demonstrates the benefit of shortened travel times between the nodes, especially for the metropolitan cities, which are connected to many long-distance routes directly. Finally, the authors argue that connections should not be created at the expense of total travel time on the route.