On Thursday, 27 February, the city council took a decisive step towards extending Frankfurt's underground network. February, the city council took a decisive step towards extending Frankfurt's subway network: the U4 line is to be extended from Bockenheimer Warte to Ginnheim, with the preferred route running via the Westend campus of Goethe University. With this decision, the city parliament is following the results of a comprehensive feasibility study carried out by independent experts. The decision is thus in favor of the so-called variant 3i, which was assessed as the most sustainable and traffic-related option out of 16 options examined.
Closing a long-standing gap
The planned extension of the U4 will close a central gap in the light rail network. The new connection will not only better link the northern districts with the city center, but also relieve the heavily frequented A line and thus increase the flexibility of the entire network. "This is an important milestone for Frankfurt's infrastructure," emphasized Lord Mayor Mike Josef. "After the ongoing extension of the U5, the U4 is now also on the way to a strategically important extension. This will not only benefit residents in the north of the city, but also companies, commuters and students."
Mobility Director Wolfgang Siefert also emphasized the importance of the project: "After more than 60 years of discussion, we are now a decisive step closer to realizing this connection. The comprehensive analysis and planning in advance have created a sound basis for decision-making, which is now being translated into concrete plans."
Contribution to the mobility turnaround
A key argument in favor of the extension is the reduction in road traffic and thus a contribution to the mobility turnaround. "Every new kilometer of rail means less car traffic and therefore better air for all Frankfurters," explained Tina Zapf-Rodríguez, Head of the Environment Department. The transport sector is responsible for around two million tons of CO2 emissions in Frankfurt, 1.4 million tons of which are attributable to road traffic alone. Strengthening local public transport is therefore a decisive factor in achieving the climate targets.
Next steps and timetable
With the city councillors' decision, preliminary planning for the agreed route can now begin. Another important milestone is planned for the end of 2026: A preliminary planning resolution is then to be submitted to the city parliament before the design and approval planning starts in the following years.
Interested citizens can obtain comprehensive information on the project website sbev-frankfurt.de. Among other things, the feasibility study and other expert reports are available for download there. There is also a direct contact option for questions and suggestions.
With the decision that has now been made, the city is setting the course for a sustainable local transport service. Whether the ambitious timetable can be met will become clear in the coming years.
