The Seligenstadt–Volkach railway is a branch line in Bavaria. It branches off the Bamberg–Rottendorf railway line in Seligenstadt near Würzburg and leads along the Volkacher Main loop to Volkach.
The route was popularly known as the “Säuferbähnle”.[4] Today's tourist business is marketed under the name Mainschleifenbahn. The route is scheduled to be reactivated for regular train traffic by 2026
The operating company Mainschleifenbahn mbH (BGM) was founded in March 2001 to maintain the route. Shareholders include the Kitzingen district, the city of Volkach and the Mainschleifenbahn support association.[7] In July 2002, BGM received approval as a railway infrastructure company. In January 2002, BGM leased the route from Deutsche Bahn for 25 years. First, the already overgrown route was cut free and extensive renovation work was carried out. As a result, the route received operating license on July 9, 2003. In September 2003, the Mainschleifenbahn support association was able to start an independent[8] island operation for excursion and special traffic (railway company: Pfalzbahn). Since then, trains have been running regularly on weekends between Seligenstadt Mainschleifenbahn and Volkach-Astheim. On October 21, 2011, the Mainschleifenbahn support association was finally able to buy the route from Deutsche Bahn.[9]
Mainschleifenbahn passenger train in Volkach-Astheim (2014)
Since September 2003, trains have been offered again on all Sundays and public holidays from May to October and also on Saturdays from September. There are also special trips, etc. at Easter, St. Nicholas and the Volkacher Wine Festival. The trains initially ran every hour, which was reduced to a two-hourly service at the beginning of the 2005 season. The departure times in Seligenstadt are coordinated with those of connecting trains from Würzburg and in Volkach with those of the excursion ships. Only one train is allowed to run on the single-track route with simple train control operations (there are no longer any terminal stations or crossing tracks).
Source: Wikipedia