Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A Rhine River cruise offers travelers the opportunity to visit vibrant cities and witness an extraordinary landscape of magnificent castles This vast waterway is one of Europe’s largest river unfurling roughly 800 miles from Switzerland in the south — winding through Austria Germany and France — before emptying into the North Sea in the Netherlands The northern section is pancake flat and more industrial while the middle and lower sections of the Rhine offer plenty of eye candy particularly around the UNESCO Upper Middle Rhine Valley and the Black Forest From sipping on refreshing Rieslings at some of the Rhine’s most picturesque vineyards to exploring Strasbourg’s sensational Petite France, here is our pick of the best things to do on a Rhine River cruise with Viking Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands and houses some of the world’s most revered Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces the museum recently welcomed two Rembrandts held in a private collection for almost 200 years It's worthwhile spending time drinking in its remarkable architecture including towering stained-glass windows and vaulted ceilings combine the Rijksmuseum with a visit to the Van Gogh Museum or the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam There are 40 medieval castles perched in Germany’s 40-mile Upper Middle Rhine Valley while enjoying the understated elegance and comfort of your Viking Longship as you sail languidly along the Rhine join a guided tour of the 12th-century Marksburg Castle and marvel at the jaw-dropping Heidelberg Castle a lofty bastion that is actually on the Neckar River but featured on many Rhine river excursions Cologne’s sky-piercing cathedral is one of the world’s most spectacular churches — completed in 1880 after 632 years of construction Its Gothic spires dominate Cologne’s skyline guiding visitors and residents from around the city to its intricately decorated walls This five-aisle basilica houses many masterpieces of religious art including the late 10th-century Gero Crucifix in the Chapel of the Holy Cross and the Shrine of the Three Kings The latter is believed to contain the bones of the Biblical Magi and is the largest reliquary shrine in Europe Time your visit right and you might even hear the choir in practice — a truly magical experience It’s free to enter and explore the cathedral at your own pace you could scale to the cathedral’s rooftop The tour takes visitors into the ceilings of the church before ascending the 140 stairs to reach the very top Kinderdijk windmills in the mist (Credit: Claire Droppert)The polder landscape of Kinderdijk in South Holland is another of the Rhine’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites famous for its canals lined with handsome windmills built in the 18th century to control flooding in this low-lying village Cruisers can step inside two museums mills to learn about why they were built and hear stories of the millers who once operated them join Viking's Privileged Access excursion on the relaxing canal boat tour aboard a 125-year-old restored river boat to admire the windmills’ sails and see the steam-powered pumping stations that were built in the late 1800s to aid Kinderdijk’s water management Viking Longship in Koblenz (Credit: Viking) Koblenz Cable Car crosses Koblenz at the Rhine and Moselle confluence in Germany’s storied Upper Middle Rhine Valley The cable car operates from close to Koblenz’s Basilica St rising almost 370 feet to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress on the east of the river Gaze across Koblenz as you enjoy the breezy journey towards the early 19th-century fortress take in the equestrian bronze statue of Emperor William I which looms over the confluence on a towering plinth with its vaulted ceilings a mesmerising sight a bi-cultural city that lies on the west bank of the Rhine in northwest France Petite France is another of the Rhine’s designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites restaurants and bars — though the highlights are the aesthetically-pleasing houses The city’s old French quarter is packed with some of Europe’s most beautiful featuring rows of higgledy-piggledy half-timbered houses Marvel at the white and pastel-coloured houses as you wander across footbridges Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg is sublime including a rose window and astronomical clock in the 16th century this magnificent cathedral dates back to the 12th century with every inch of the exterior filled with intricate Gothic details Thick green fir forests and bucolic meadows fill the Black Forest in southeast Germany where visitors experience a palpable German romanticism this fairytale landscape was the location of the Brothers Grimms rich fables One of the best things to do on a Rhine River cruise is to join a cuckoo clock-making demonstration with these charming time-telling contraptions originating in the Black Forest Or learn how to make the decadent Black Forest Cake for which this region is known you could also visit one of the many wineries in the region Staatsweingut Freiburg and Weingut Peter Briem Since the area has the capacity to accommodate 160-million litres of wine you might want to save some space in your luggage for a souvenir bottle or two Under-the-radar Colmar is a charming town with a village-like atmosphere in the northeast of France that is home to quaint museums cafes and restaurants with tables that spill out onto the streets The best thing to do in Colmar is stroll the myriad medieval old quarter The storybook timber clad houses and winding cobblestone streets around Petite Venise (Little Venice) and Quartier des Tanneurs (the Tanners Quarter) postcard perfection Browse the fresh produce at Marché Couvert Colmar and poke your head into the 13th-century Gothic St Martin's Church Take a seat at a restaurant by the Schwendi Fountain for a glass of Alsatian wine The fountain was sculpted by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi The verdant Rhine Gorge is a rich winemaking region and at its heart is the town of Rüdesheim its warren of cobbled streets is home to taverns and wineries serving local tipples A visit to Rüdesheim offers the perfect excuse to get to know the local grapes Magdalenenhof is a fantastic family-run winery serving mellow wines at their cellar door on the edge of Rüdesheim Friedrich Fendel and Georg Breuer are also wonderful spots to quaff local grapes it’s time to indulge in one of Germany’s favorite past times: Drinking beer Wander the Old Town to discover Cologne’s buzzy brewhouses served straight from the barrel in 7-ounce glasses as you learn about this refreshing local drink Sunner im Walfisch is a charming 17th-century spot on a cobblestone side street of the Old Town Soak up rounds of Kolsch with hearty local dishes of bratwurst fried potatoes and veal schnitzels to round off an unforgettable day in Cologne Kunstmuseum Basel is a magnet for art aficionados and the art curious it houses the oldest public art collection in the world This prestigious museum features a collection of old masters including a variety of works by German-Swiss painter Hans Holbein plus 19th-century masterpieces by Vincent Van Gough including works by Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol Join a guided tour to get the most out of your visit to this remarkable Swiss museum The glory of Europe in autumn is reflected in its crisp gold-tone palette and the bounty of field and forest this is the time of year to enjoy the newly harvested crops and regional fare at its finest A number of festivals and special events showcase and celebrate the fruits nuts and vegetables associated with this time of the year Pumpkins: Blühendes Barock is the name given to the vast gardens surrounding the Ludwigsburg Residential Palace about 10 miles north of Stuttgart flowerbeds and fairy tale-inspired buildings host what’s billed as the world’s largest pumpkin exhibition To keep visitors returning year after year each year’s show is designed around a different theme; in 2022 creatures from the jungle and rainforest serve as the inspiration Cabbage: The town of Leinfelden-Echterdingen is known for the cultivation of a variety of cabbage that’s easily recognizable due to its pointed shape Filderkraut is said to have fewer and finer veins than its round cousin and to be milder in taste Those residing closer to Wiesbaden can celebrate cabbage at nearby Eltville’s “Kappeskerb” slated for Oct one of the last folk festivals of the Rheingau region This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Read our Privacy Notice This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again What is the role of cannabinoids as an intoxicant and in medical applications today This was the question addressed by Dieter Braus psychiatrist and neurologist at Vitos Clinic Rheingau in Eltville Regardless of the type of substance-dependent addiction — whether alcohol, opiates, nicotine, or cannabinoids — the brain pathway is the same: the dopamine system This system is also responsible for curiosity Various substances lead to increased neurotransmitter release In addition to the acute THC effect with a high and pleasant feeling chronic consumption produces different effects Retrograde signaling pathways are disrupted These chronic effects may even occur after only a few instances of consumption Cannabis consumption may lead to impaired cognition and psychosis triggers because of an imbalance in important systems especially if cannabis is consumed during vulnerable brain development phases Daily cannabis consumption leads to a fivefold increase in the risk of developing a psychotic disorder Several countries have seen a strong increase in psychoses after legalization Braus expressed a critical view of legalization He advocated for a minimum age of 21 years for legalization because consumption before the age of 18 years has severe effects on the development of the dopaminergic system Use during adolescence has significant effects on cognitive performance as an adult and issues with math and other memory functions structural changes can be detected in the brain and particularly in the medial prefrontal cortex This adverse brain development contributes to the formation of anxiety networks with increased irritability and a tendency toward anxiety disorders Braus stated that it is alarming to think that 1 in every 3 10th-graders in the United States has already tried cannabis the endocannabinoid system is a potential treatment target for various illnesses Basic research has been conducted on many of these areas but there is often still a lack of evidence In the largest meta-analysis to date on medical use which Braus described as a manageable number This provided moderate evidence for the use of cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain and spasms There is a small amount of evidence for the reduction of nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy and for weight gain All applications led to short-term adverse events often because studies have not been methodical enough the number of drugs with varying THC contents makes regulation difficult Braus summarized his lecture by making the following points: Legalization of cannabis is linked with increased consumption Particular caution is urged regarding use in adolescents (because of effects on the anxiety network) The drug is associated with an increased risk for psychosis Even mild cannabis consumption at age 13-16 years is linked with a threefold risk increase Intrauterine cannabis consumption can lead to reduced brain growth There is moderate evidence on use for chronic pain and spasms There have been no conventional pivotal studies This article was translated from German and was published on Coliquio For more news, follow Medscape on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn Medscape Medical News © 2022  WebMD Send news tips to news@medscape.net Click the topic below to receive emails when new articles are available You will receive email when new content is published A dead Canada goose injured Robert Meilhammer in Easton Some might chalk it up to bad luck; others was struck in the head Thursday by a dead Canada goose that plunged from the sky after a fellow waterfowl hunter fired a blind shot on a flock overhead Meilhammer was in the midst of a hunting party with three friends in Easton The goose fell about 90 feet, knocking the hunter out instantly and causing head and facial injuries. When Meilhammer came to, he was coherent but "hazy," according to the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Natural Resources police officers and EMS responders transported Meilhammer via ambulance to the Easton Airport where he was airlifted to the University of Maryland Medical Center's Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore Talbot County EMS responders called his head injury "severe." The dead bird also knocked out two of Meilhammer's teeth Thousands of Canada geese in the United States migrate south each year, filling the sky with long, V-formations. Adult Canada geese weigh about 12 to 14 pounds and can have a wing span reaching nearly 6 feet The "honkers," as the bird are called for their noisy calls Become an NPR sponsor Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page it’s a half-hour by high-speed rail to Wiesbaden upscale city where the pace of life slows and from which you can range further to explore places like the Rheingau (Rhine district): one of the tiniest oldest and most significant wine regions in Germany – and all of Europe you follow this great meandering river westward then north on the compass as it opens onto some 50 square kilometres of mostly-Riesling terroir a legacy of Cistercian monks who imported the first vines from Bourgogne in the 1100s The Rheingau’s intense sunshine reflected onto south-facing vineyards its cool climate and lengthy ripening season are the perfect conditions for Riesling despite accounting for just three per cent of German vineyards grows 80 per cent of that particular varietal – the highest concentration in the country – along with smaller amounts of flavourful pinot (Spätburgunder) and Müller-Thurgau Here are some recommended tourist stops among many Weinstädte (wine towns) palaces and castles of the Rheingau’s well-marked wine route: Wiesbaden is the state capital of Hessen on the Rhine and has been a spa-getaway destination since Roman times which was virtually flattened in the Second World War up to 70 per cent of Wiesbaden’s character-filled architecture was spared from Allied air raids A stroll through the downtown reveals many gorgeous art nouveau villas and municipal landmarks often dating to its late-19th-century heyday as a tourist town for the rich and famous featuring more than 300,000 bottles and 1,000 different wines served By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? 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Full Screen is not supported on this browser version You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen Neoclassical tasting room resembling a champagne house in France a sparkling winemaker headquartered in Biebrich since 1909 and subsidiaries like Freixenet produce 19 billion bottles of Cuvee-based bubbly for 150 countries every year (Tip: Pick up Adam Henkell Brut or Menger Krug Riesling from the gift shop) Here are a few must-sees of the Romantic Rhine: Walk ancient Drosselgasse street to the town’s first restaurant one of the first medieval stone castles in the Rheingau continuously inhabited since the 4th century was fortified and encircled by a moat in 1332 and 22,000 rose bushes (some very rare) surround the castle that overlooks its well-preserved Old Town which offers plenty of traditional timber-frame homes and is flanked by a fun boardwalk lined with restaurants and wine-and-champagne bars Full Screen is not supported on this browser version. You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information The European Central Bank should begin lifting interest rates from record lows in July if new forecasts next month continue to point to a strong inflation outlook according to Governing Council member Joachim Nagel Although Easter Sunday remains more than a month away markets at which eggs and springtime décor take center stage are already beginning to pop up across Europe Such events offer not only the chance to acquire thoughtfully crafted items but also to explore what are oftentimes beautiful and historically significant settings Some particularly well-set markets take place in the following environs: Other monasteries that host Easter markets include Seligenstadt (March 8-9) Maulbronn (March 22-23) and the Dominikanerkloster in Frankfurt am Main (March 22-23) a 40-day time period set aside to prepare for Easter through abstinence from certain pleasures While traditionally a season of solemnity and self-reflection a look at Europe’s cultural calendar for the weeks ahead reassures us that fun and festivity isn’t entirely off the agenda Here are some ways to get in sync with the season: associated with new life from time immemorial have long been given astounding makeovers for Easter While prettily dyed and decorated versions are ubiquitous this time of year some artists take the craft of embellishing eggs to another level Their talent and creativity is on full display at multiple Easter egg exhibitions In contrast to more generic Easter markets at which a variety of plants and handicrafts are sold egg artistry stands front and center at the following events in Germany: is considered a day set aside for rejoicing within an otherwise austere period it’s also the Sunday on which a number of Belgian communities traditionally hold their carnivals Cities and towns with some of the most charismatic of celebrations include Stavelot long-nosed Blanc-Moussis are stars of the show (online: laetare-stavelot.be/en) and Andenne where the “Carnaval des Ours” sees thousands of people in bear costumes parade through the streets and tiny bear effigies get tossed from City Hall’s balcony colorful costumes and twirling dances of the folkloric characters known as Chinels that give the carnival its special flair Other communities with Laetere carnivals include La Roche-en-Ardenne and Tournai Residents of towns throughout the Duchy of Luxembourg also mark the first weekend of Lent with massive bonfires known as Buergbrunnen or Fêtes des Brandons an attempt to put the worst of winter weather behind When the new RMV timetable comes into force on 15 December especially on the route to and from the airport Because that's when the new Gateway Gardens S-Bahn station will be included in the route and after less than four years of construction "The commissioning of the Gateway Gardens S-Bahn station is part of the largest infrastructure expansion in the RMV network for decades The new station will enable passengers to travel to the metropolises of Frankfurt Offenbach and Wiesbaden every 15 minutes and without having to change trains," said RMV Managing Director Prof "With only five years from the award of the financing to completion Gateway Gardens is the first construction project that I have accompanied in my professional life from the ground-breaking ceremony to the commissioning The station is a prime example of rapid planning and construction and a model for all other major projects." The connection of Gateway Gardens to the S-Bahn network is particularly advantageous for the approximately 19,000 employees in the district: the travel time by public transport from Frankfurt's main station is reduced to 10 minutes and the previously necessary change of trains is no longer necessary For passengers in or from the direction of Wiesbaden the journey time and about 5 minutes longer 15-minute cycle in the S-Bahn network is further expanded is not the only change in the new timetable After the S-Bahn frequency has already been steadily expanded in recent years S-Bahn lines that run through the Frankfurt Citytunnel are now generally every 15 minutes from 6 a.m the S6 now also runs at continuous hourly intervals on party nights from Friday to Saturday Saturday to Sunday and before public holidays Every 30 minutes between the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar metropolitan regions .The RegionalExpress line RE60 runs on the highly demanded axis between Frankfurt on weekends at hourly intervals between the Rhine-Main and Rhine-Neckar metropolitan regions With now 15 connections per weekday and 14 connections on weekends this is almost double the previous number of trips on the RE60 between Darmstadt and Mannheim Together with the hourly regional trains RB67/68 this results in an approximate half-hourly service between numerous cities RheingauExpress: at hourly intervals from Eltville to Frankfurt Through the cooperation of the transport companies VIAS and HLB additional express connections of the RE9 will be possible which was newly established in December 2018 will be supplemented by five additional trips in each direction at hourly intervals The advantage for Rheingau commuters: the RE9 runs from Eltville to Frankfurt without stopping at Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof This results in a travel time saving of 10 minutes compared to the Rheingau line RB10 the range of services will also be expanded so that all trips of the RheingauExpress' will have connections in Niederwalluf to and from Bad Schwalbach Also on the bus line 171 there are new connections in Eltville to Geisenheim in the afternoon But the RB10 also runs more frequently: there are additional trips in the morning and afternoon between Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof and Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof as well as an additional late-night trip between Frankfurt and the Rheingau in each direction on party nights Many timetable extensions in the entire RMV area individual additional trips will be offered on numerous lines are the fast Sprinter trains on the RE50 Frankfurt - Fulda more connections in the popular X-Bus network and more through trains to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof on both the Dreieich and Niddertalbahn The RB21 between Wiesbaden and Niedernhausen will run every half hour during the day buses will supplement the rail route of the RB12 between Kelkheim Liederbach and Frankfurt Höchst during rush hours and run as far as Industriepark Höchst The most important timetable changes in the regions in detail: On all S-Bahn lines: Further extensions of the 15-minute frequency All S-Bahn lines that run through the Frankfurt Citytunnel (S1-S6 as well as S8 and S9) are Monday to Friday in the period from 6 to 10 am and from 3 to 8 pm generally at 15-minute intervals S1 (Wiesbaden - Frankfurt - Offenbach - Rödermark Ober-Roden): Extension of the 15-minute frequency in the morning from Hochheim and Rödermark Ober-Roden to Frankfurt until 10 am there are new early morning departures Monday to Friday at 3:28 from Rödermark Ober-Roden to Wiesbaden and at 3:35 from Wiesbaden to Rödermark Ober-Roden some trips that previously ended in Frankfurt Höchst will be extended to Hattersheim S2 (Niedernhausen - Frankfurt - Offenbach - Dietzenbach): Extension of the 15-minute frequency in the morning from Niedernhausen and Dietzenbach to Frankfurt until 10 am S3/S4 (Bad Soden / Kronberg - Frankfurt - Langen - Darmstadt): The first early morning trip at 3:45 a.m from Bad Soden will continue to Darmstadt South in the future the first early morning trip also departs Monday to Friday at 3:35 a.m There is also a new late departure at 01:05 from Darmstadt Hbf to Frankfurt Hbf which runs through to Kronberg on party nights S5 (Friedrichsdorf - Bad Homburg - Frankfurt): The first train leaves Friedrichsdorf for Frankfurt Hbf as early as 03:38 during the week there is a new trip from Frankfurt South to Bad Homburg on weekdays at 05:58 S6 (Friedberg - Bad Vilbel - Frankfurt): On the S-Bahn line S6 with the progressing construction work for the four-track expansion a continuous hourly service can be established between Frankfurt and Friedberg on party nights S8/S9 (Wiesbaden - Airport - Frankfurt - Offenbach - Hanau): The biggest change for lines S8 and S9 is the additional stop "Gateway Gardens" which will be served around the clock as well The travel times of the S-Bahns between Wiesbaden and the airport will be shifted by about 2 to 4 minutes as a result the S8 will in future also run from Offenbach Ost to Hanau until 8 p.m so that there will be a 15-minute interval here together with the S9 the nightly half-hourly frequency of the S8 between Frankfurt and the airport will be extended to Kelsterbach Commissioning new station Gateway Gardens The new S-Bahn stop Frankfurt-Gateway Gardens not only affects the S8 and S9 but also the entire regional train service running south of the Mainz Although the regional trains do not stop at Gateway Gardens timetable adjustments are necessary due to the new route there will be longer journey times in the direction of Rhineland-Palatinate RE2/RE3 (Koblenz / Saarbrücken - Mainz - Airport - Frankfurt): In future the trains of line RE3 (Saarbrücken - Frankfurt) will run together with the trains of line RE2 (Koblenz - Mainz - Airport - Frankfurt) at hourly intervals between Frankfurt Hbf and Mainz Hbf with additional stops in Frankfurt-Niederrad Mainz-Bischofsheim and Mainz-Römisches Theater At the station Mainz-Römisches Theater there is a connection to the S-Bahn Rhein-Neckar direction Worms RE9 "RheingauExpress" (Eltville - Frankfurt): the express line brings passengers from Eltville Schierstein and Biebrich to Frankfurt and back much more frequently on Mondays to Fridays without stopping at Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof: in future at hourly intervals between the Rheingau and Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof The number of journeys thus increases from four to 14 journeys a day and the first journey starts at 5.45 a.m The extensive expansion is made possible by the support of the HLB which is taking over six of the additional trips In order to also connect the surrounding communities well to the additional trips the service of the X-Bus line X79 (Bad Schwalbach - Walluf) and line 171 (Rüdesheim - Eltville) will be expanded accordingly RB10 "RheingauLinie" (Neuwied - Rüdesheim - Wiesbaden - Frankfurt): In the morning and in the afternoon there are more additional trips with trip extension to Frankfurt main station In the late traffic there is in the party nights (Fr/Sa Sa/Su and before holidays) from and to Frankfurt around midnight in each case an additional late trip RB12 "Königsteiner Bahn" (Königstein - Frankfurt): a new bus service supplements the rail route between Kelkheim Liederbach and Frankfurt Höchst on Mondays to Fridays between 06:30 and 10 and between 15:30 and 19 thus creating additional capacity at short notice and relieving the rail which is an improvement especially for workers employed there Passengers heading to Frankfurt city centre can change to the S-Bahn at Frankfurt-Höchst RB15 "Taunusbahn" (Grävenwiesbach - Bad Homburg): Monday to Friday a new early morning service from Grävenwiesbach at 04:23 to Bad Homburg and from Bad Homburg at 05:36 to Grävenwiesbach RB16 (Friedberg - Friedrichsdorf): The half-hourly service will be extended by one hour until 20:00 on Mondays to Fridays RB34 "Niddertalbahn" (Glauburg-Stockheim - Bad Vilbel - Frankfurt): Monday to Friday afternoons several trips to and from Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof will be extended This increases the number of direct connections to Frankfurt from 97 weekly to 119 connections RB21 "Ländchesbahn" (Wiesbaden - Niedernhausen - Limburg): Runs Monday to Friday during the day continuously at half-hourly intervals between Niedernhausen and Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof there is a new early morning service from Niedernhausen with a connection to the first S2 train coming from Frankfurt there is another direct connection from Limburg in the evening at 18:48 to Wiesbaden RB45 "Lahntalbahn" (Limburg - Gießen): Now runs on Sundays and public holidays all year round from morning to evening at hourly intervals RB90 "Oberwesterwaldbahn" (Altenkirchen - Westerburg - Limburg): Improvements in connections can be achieved through an adjusted timetable on a transitional basis until the modernisation work is completed The timetable will be revised in such a way that on Mondays to Fridays there will be an almost hourly service with continuous journeys to Altenkirchen and every two hours to Au(Sieg) sometimes long waiting times in Westerburg will be eliminated the departure times shift in both directions by one hour with also continuous connections to Altenkirchen RE30 "Main-Weser-Bahn" (Kassel - Marburg - Gießen - Frankfurt): Monday to Friday picking up connections from the early morning RB42 and RB94 services this train swaps times with the Mittelhessen-Express RB40/41 the 18:01 journey from Frankfurt is also extended to Marburg when a particularly large number of weekend commuters are on the move a new journey starts from Marburg at 17:10 to Frankfurt the 16:01 journey from Frankfurt to Marburg will be extended and a new 20:01 journey from Frankfurt to Giessen will be added the trains now run with seven instead of six cars RB42 "Burgwaldbahn" (Frankenberg - Marburg): Now runs on Sundays and holidays from morning to evening at hourly intervals RB45 "Vogelsbergbahn" (Gießen - Fulda): On Sundays and public holidays passengers will be able to travel one hour earlier from Alsfeld in the direction of Gießen and from Gießen in the direction of Fulda RB46 "Lahn-Kinzig-Bahn" (Gießen - Nidda - Gelnhausen): Now runs all year round from morning to evening at hourly intervals along the entire route RB48 "Horlofftalbahn" (Nidda - Friedberg): In the future it will run on Sundays and public holidays from midday to evening at hourly intervals RB49 (Friedberg - Hanau): One new trip each on party nights from Gießen at 22:35 to Hanau Hbf and from Hanau Hbf at 00:07 to Friedberg RB94 "Obere Lahntalbahn" (Erndtebrück - Bad Laasphe - Marburg): Extension of four Saturday trips beyond Erndtebrück to Siegen and Betzdorf as well as a new trip on Saturdays at 19:24 from Marburg to Bad Laasphe RB45 "Vogelsbergbahn" (Gießen - Fulda): Mondays to Fridays an additional trip at 15:58 from Fulda to Alsfeld RE50 "Kinzigtalbahn" (Bad Hersfeld - Fulda - Schlüchtern - Hanau - Frankfurt): The fast Sprinter trains will run continuously from Frankfurt to Bad Hersfeld and partly to Bebra New is an additional trip in the morning from Frankfurt (departure 08:18) and in the afternoon from Bad Hersfeld (departure 14:56) as well as two trips in each direction on weekends RB56 "Kahlgrundbahn" (Schöllkrippen - Kahl - Hanau): Continuous hourly service between Schöllkrippen and Hanau in the evening until 10 pm and on weekends RB58/RE59 "Main-Spessart-Bahn" (Laufach - Aschaffenburg - Hanau - Frankfurt): Monday to Saturday most trips run from Aschaffenburg via Flughafen Fernbahnhof to Rüsselsheim Opelwerk (instead of only to Frankfurt Süd as before) trains will run in the morning and afternoon to Frankfurt-Stadion trips of the RE59 to the airport regional station will be extended to Aschaffenburg RE60 "Main-Neckar-Bahn" (Mannheim - Darmstadt - Frankfurt): trains will run at hourly intervals on the route between Frankfurt the Bergstrasse and Mannheim between 6 a.m The number of journeys on this line is thus almost doubled In combination with the lines RB67/68 as well as the RE70 over the Riedbahn results in an approximate half-hourly cycle for many connections RB61 "Dreieichbahn" (Dieburg - Rödermark Ober-Roden - Dreieich-Buchschlag - Neu- Isenburg / Frankfurt): now also operates in the evenings and on Sundays and holidays continuously at hourly intervals to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof A change from the S-Bahn to the RB61 in Dreieich-Buchschlag or Rödermark Ober-Roden is no longer necessary trip from Dieburg will be extended from Dreieich-Buchschlag to Frankfurt Süd RB66 "Pfungstadtbahn" (Pfungstadt - Darmstadt): Mondays to Fridays a new trip from Darmstadt Hbf at 17:42 to Pfungstadt and from Pfungstadt at 18:05 to Darmstadt Hbf RB67/68 "Main-Neckar-Bahn" (Mannheim / Schwetzingen / Heidelberg - Darmstadt - Frankfurt): continue to run hourly between Frankfurt The train part of the RB 67 line continues to run every two hours alternately to Schwetzingen or Mannheim Hbf the train part of the RB68 line continues to run hourly to Heidelberg and Wiesloch-Walldorf RE70 "Riedbahn" (Mannheim - Biblis - Frankfurt): During the party nights continuous service every two hours with all stops between Mannheim and Frankfurt RB75 (Wiesbaden - Mainz - Darmstadt - Aschaffenburg): Stops in Mainz-Gustavsburg all day and on weekends with the hourly basic frequency The additional half-hourly services on Mondays to Saturdays will no longer stop there Between Darmstadt (departure 04:51 h) and Aschaffenburg (departure 04:36 h) a new early departure will be introduced in both directions on Mondays to Fridays the last trip between Darmstadt and Aschaffenburg will run one hour later on all days New allocations: The route bundle LGI-Southeast (372 which includes buses in the region around Giessen The current operator (Verkehrsgesellschaft Gießen VGG) will continue to operate the lines for another eight years after 14.12.2019 The line bundles in the district of Fulda were also re-tendered a new conception of the lines takes effect here X17 (Hofheim - Airport): Daily additional night trips at 22:54 and at 01:30 from Hofheim to the airport and 02:40 from airport T1 to Hofheim X72 (Limburg - Wiesbaden): The offer on the well-used express bus line Wiesbaden-Limburg is again significantly expanded a further early morning trip from Limburg to Wiesbaden and an evening trip on weekend nights at 22:37 from Wiesbaden a half-hourly service will be offered from Wiesbaden between 15:00 and 19:00 Saturday services optimised to provide more train connections X76 (Nastätten - Wiesbaden): new afternoon services at 15:02 from Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof via Kemel and Nastätten to Miehlen and back at 16:25 X79 (Bad Schwalbach - Walluf): Between 2 p.m buses run hourly between Bad Schwalbach and Walluf with connections from the RE9 express trains in Walluf and further changes in Walluf to the regional trains to the Rheingau X89 (Weilburg - Grävenwiesbach): Two new morning services and an evening service on weekend nights 171 (Rüdesheim - Wiesbaden): Following the new afternoon express train services between Eltville and Frankfurt new bus services will be offered from Eltville via Oestrich-Winkel to Geisenheim Chauvignystraße 674 (Darmstadt - Ober-Roden): For better distribution of train and bus services between Ober-Roden and Dieburg the trips from Darmstadt (at 13:41) or Dieburg (from 15:25) to Ober-Roden will be brought forward by approx 30 minutes earlier and from Ober-Roden (from 14:54) to Dieburg by about 30 minutes later