The service Airport Express from Lufthansa has been around for several decades. As far back as the 80s, Lufthansa innovated by running trains from the Deutsche Bundesbahn from Düsseldorf, Cologne and the former federal capital Bonn, as well as from Stuttgart to the mainline station at Frankfurt airport. The trains were painted in the Lufthansa colours and, on board, flight attendants in Lufthansa uniforms offered a service similar to that of an aeroplane, with business and economy class carriages.
However, the service, which was not very profitable, was dismantled in 1993 and replaced by a cooperation agreement with Deutsche Bahn allowing passengers to be taken to and from around ten German cities.
The combination of environmental factors and losses on the domestic network has led Lufthansa to negotiate with Deutsche Bahn to expand the service to new destinations. In addition to the 14 German cities already connected to Frankfurt airport by the Lufthansa Express Rail, thehe two operators have just added Hanover, Leipzig and their first international destination, Basel..
According to the chairmen of their respective boards of directors, Harry Hohmeister for Lufthansa and Berthold Huber for Deutsche Bahn, " The agreement will significantly expand the long-standing and fruitful cooperation between Deutsche Lufthansa and Deutsche Bahn. By intelligently linking rail and air transport, we will together strengthen sustainable transport services in Germany. At the same time, we want to offer more and more customers a seamless and comfortable travel chain. "they explained on the sidelines of their meeting.
The first step is the introduction of three new direct services to Frankfurt airport. The central stations of Hanover and Leipzig are now linked by four daily trains with the Lufthansa hub in Frankfurt, while Basel in Switzerland benefits from three daily trains. According to Harry Hohmeister, thehe new routes provide optimum connections with flights while reducing the carrier's impact on the environment.. " In fact, we are working on other intermodal solutions where they are justified and feasible. Our aim is to double this offer and further strengthen cooperation with Deutsche Bahn. "he said.
The LH/DB solution is all the more popular with passengers as the rail operator has embarked on a major modernisation programme with the arrival of new trains, an increase in its seat capacity and denser routes. According to Berthold Huber, DB's General Manager for Passenger Traffic, the result is " better connections between regional cities and Germany's main airport ".
Connecting France and Belgium would make sense
Lufthansa Express Rail trains can only be booked through the air operator's distribution channels; they offer the same services as on the airline for baggage or access to the DB lounge for First, Business and certain premium members of the Miles & More frequent flyer programme. If the train is delayed, Lufthansa will make a new reservation.
However, passengers are responsible for their own baggage, which can only be handed over to the airline once they have arrived at the airport. Check-in desks are available in the mainline railway station. No additional on-board services are offered.
What does the future hold for this system? As the network is currently configured, Most cities in Germany are served within one to two and a half hours of the airport. The only exceptions are Basel and Leipzig. The former is almost three hours away, the latter almost three and a half hours from the Lufthansa hub.
These journey times suggest that a future stage in the development of the Lufthansa Rail Express could involve integrating cities in France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Integrating Strasbourg in France and Liège and Brussels in Belgium would in fact make sense, especially as the European rail legal framework allows it. Strasbourg is already connected by TGV directly to Frankfurt via Karlsruhe. The journey from Strasbourg to Karlsruhe takes 65 minutes. From the same station, the Lufthansa Rail Express trains depart for Frankfurt airport, a journey that takes 65 minutes. Lufthansa also provides a bus service from Strasbourg to its hub. The same applies to Brussels and Liège, which are directly linked to Aachen, from where Lufthansa trains depart for its Frankfurt hub.
