A permanent train connection between Lübeck and Nykøbing. One ticket - without a tunnel fee. And hourly service all day. These are some of the wishes from the Fehmarn Belt Committee, which is now putting pressure on politicians in both Denmark and Germany.
At the Fehmarnbelt Days in Lübeck, the Danish-German cooperation committee adopted a position paper to accelerate the development of regional train traffic over the Fehmarn Belt. The committee fears that only long-distance traffic will commence when the tunnel opens.
- Now is the time to lay the foundation for a sustainable future across the entire region, says Holger Schou Rasmussen, mayor of Lolland Municipality and chairman of the Fehmarn Belt Committee.
His German co-chair, regional council chairman Timo Gaarz from Kreis Ostholstein, also emphasises the need for action:
- We need clear political and economic commitments. Otherwise, we risk having a tunnel without life, he says.
Hourly service and low ticket price
The committee's proposal includes, among other things, hourly service on local trains between Lübeck and Nykøbing, simple and joint fares - and no extra ticket fee for using the tunnel. All to make it easy and affordable to cross the border by train.
- We must remove barriers and significantly improve mobility, says Lübeck's mayor Jan Lindenau, who is also on the committee.
Local trains are a lifeline
The chairman of Region Zealand, Trine Birk Andersen, calls local trains over the Fehmarn Belt a lifeline for future cooperation - not just another expense.
- If we do not include the regional connections, we risk building a tunnel without human life. We are ready to take on the task - but it requires state support, she says.
Since 2009, the Fehmarn Belt Committee has served as a joint forum for 29 members from municipalities, organisations, and associations in both countries. The committee's goal is a close, well-functioning, and competitive region across the border.
