Baden Mainline
The line was built as part of the Baden Mainline ("Badische Hauptbahn"). Between Mannheim and Rastatt it runs parallel to the Baden Rhine Railway ("Rheinbahn"). The Karlsruhe–Basel high-speed railway, called the "Ausbau- und Neubaustrecke Karlsruhe–Basel" in German (literally: "Upgraded and new line Karlsruhe–Basel"), has been under construction since April 1987. This includes upgrading the current line to four-tracks in places and the construction of new line elsewhere. It was originally envisaged as being completed in 2008, but no final date for completion is now envisaged (as of 2015).