page_title: Limburg–Altenkirchen railway
section_title: Since 2004
hierarchical_section_title: Limburg–Altenkirchen railway / Operations and history / Since 2004
caption_attribution_description: English: Westerwald railway Deutsch: Westerwaldbahn bei Michelbach
context_page_description: The Limburg–Altenkirchen railway is a 65.1 km long branch line from Limburg via Westerburg to Altenkirchen and connecting via the Engers–Au railway to Au through the Westerwald. The line is also known in German as the Oberwesterwaldbahn. It runs through the German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate.
context_section_description: After the contract for operations was awarded by the Zweckverband Schienenpersonennahverkehr Rheinland-Pfalz Nord (Purpose association for passenger transport association of northern Rhineland-Palatinate), management of operations were taken from 10 January 2003 by the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (Rhine-Main Transport Association, RMV) and the operation of services on the Limburg–Au route was contracted from 12 December 2004 to vectus Verkehrsgesellschaft.
  Trains run from Limburg to Altenkirchen and from there to Au. All passenger service have to stop and reverse in Altenkirchen station, as the line which continues on the other side of the station line to Siershahn is only used for freight services.
  On 31 October 2012, the result of a tender for future services was announced. The Hessische Landesbahn (HLB) was awarded the contract for the operation of the network from August 2015 until December 2030, including the RB 90 service (Westerwald-Sieg-Bahn). Since the existing contract with the incumbent operator was due to end in December 2014, HLB agreed to take over operations early. At the timetable change of 14 December 2014, HLB took over operations on the line not only of DreiLänderBahn from DB Regio NRW, but also the operations of the RB 28 and RB 29 services from vectus Verkehrsgesellschaft. Services remained at the old level.
  Due to delays in planning, infrastructure measures could not be completed in time for the timetable change in December 2015. Therefore, a transition timetable was implemented, which provides for a break in operations for most trains in Westerburg. In the northern part, which is the responsibility of SPNV Nord and NWL, the trains already ran hourly to Siegen, as provided for in the new timetable concept. In the southern part, which is mostly in the area of responsibility of the RMV, the old timetable still operates, which provides only a two-hourly regular-interval services with some additional services. The breaks that occur in Westerburg often cause waits of 24–39 minutes for the other train, which are very unattractive for passengers. The full implementation of the new timetable was initially not expected before December 2017, but is now expected to be delayed until 2022.
caption: Regionalbahn service near Michelbach
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