Timetable changes 2025: Brandenburg's local transport is facing upheaval!

Timetable changes 2025: Brandenburg's local transport is facing upheaval!

Local rail passenger transport (SPNV) in Brandenburg is the focus of significant changes that will come into force from December 2025. These adjustments are necessary to improve the financial situation in regional transport and to adapt the offer to the actual number of passengers. The Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB) has announced that connections that are less in demand will be particularly affected. City report reports that the focus is on connections that are only lightly frequented.

An important aspect of the planned changes is the cancellation of fare recognition for VBB tickets on certain Deutsche Bahn long-distance trains from December 14, 2025. This means that passengers from Berlin to Prenzlau or between Potsdam and Cottbus can no longer use their tickets on long-distance trains. However, some regulations are in place to compensate for the impact on the affected passengers. The RE8 line will run every hour during peak hours from December 2025 in order to improve the connection from Berlin to Elsterwerda. In addition, the new RE20 line, which runs between Berlin and Lübbenau, will complement the offer between Berlin and Cottbus. VBB emphasizes that the RE20 will initially only offer a few trains to Cottbus.

Changed line offering

Significant changes are also coming to the regional trains. From now on, the RB27 line will only run on weekdays during peak hours between Basdorf and Wensickendorf; weekend traffic will no longer be available. The RB36 line, which runs between Beeskow and Frankfurt (Oder), will only be offered every two hours after 8 p.m. This particularly applies to connections that are only used by a few passengers during off-peak times or on weekends. RBB24 reports that the RB62 between Prenzlau and Angermünde will be completely discontinued, which represents a significant cut for the region.

Nevertheless, the heavily used connections should be strengthened. The popular RE3 line between Berlin and Prenzlau is being expanded to an hourly service. However, those transferring must expect to arrive in Angermünde, as the direct connection between Prenzlau and Berlin does not remain continuous. At the same time, the new RE30 line, which connects Angermünde with Stralsund, will improve the offer on this route and create additional connection options.

Financial challenges

The reasons for these comprehensive adjustments are obvious: the regionalization funds do not cover the increased operating costs, as VBB and Brandenburg's Transport Minister Detlef Tabbert emphasize. In order to maintain service and at the same time stabilize the financial situation, transport providers have to show a good hand in planning connections. The adjustments are intended to help keep the impact on passengers as low as possible. VBB informed that cancellations will only take place during particularly low-traffic times, which leaves peak times unaffected.

With these changes, the regional transport offering will be restructured in order to find a balance between financial constraints and the needs of passengers. The coming months will show how well this balancing act works and whether the new connections can meet the needs of travelers.