Empel-Rees–Münster railway


The Empel-Rees–Münster railway is a German regional railway that formerly connected Empel-Rees, Bocholt, Borken and Coesfeld with Münster. Today, only the eastern part of the line from Coesfeld/Lutum to Münster as well as a freight track in Bocholt are in use.

History

The line was opened in 1908 by the Prussian state railways to access the western Münsterland. Besides some freight traffic, the railway never gained interregional importance.
Passenger train services from Empel-Rees to Isselburg-Anholt were discontinued on September 30, 1961 and from Isselburg-Anholt to Coesfeld on May 26, 1974. Freight service mostly ended by June 1, 1991.
In 1994, traffic between Coesfeld and Lutum was diverted to the track of the decommissioned railway to Rheine, as it was preserved better than the Baumberge railway.

Service

Today, the regional train from Münster to Coesfeld via Münster-Mecklenbeck, Münster-Roxel, Havixbeck, Billerbeck, Lutum and Coesfeld Schulzentrum, operated by DB Regio with Talent-railcars, runs once an hour or twice an hour.