Infrastruct

This proposed link is associated with the proposed Twente – Münster high-speed line which would parallel the existing line from Enschede through Ochtrup to Münster. It has its own logic, however, and could be built separately. It does require at least a doubling and electrification of the existing line from Enschede to Ochtrup.

The purpose of the line is to allow regional east-west services, on the axis Osnabrück – Rheine to serve Enschede. This axis parallels the ridges of the Teutoburger Wald and the Wiehengebirge. Service is currently provided by Regionalbahn 61 which terminates at Bad Bentheim, on the line to Hengelo. There is no cross-border regional service, because of the voltage change at Bad Bentheim. A regional service from Osnabrück, via Rheine (76 000 inhabitants) to Enschede, the largest city in Twente, is more logical, and would connect there with trains on the proposed high-speed line to Zwolle. It would also pass through Gronau (population 46 000 ), connecting with regional services to Dortmund.

There are alternative routes for a link line. The Bentheimer Eisenbahn once linked Bad Bentheim to Gronau: the line is still in use as far as Gildehaus, but the alignment in Gronau has disappeared. Another possibility is a line alongside the Autobahn A31, from Gronau to Schüttorf. The line proposed here starts at Ochtrup station, and runs roughly parallel to a former local line. Just north of Rheine it joins the Ems valley line (Emden – Rheine – Münster – Ruhr). Rheine station is the interchange between the east-west route and the Ems line.

In Ochtrup, the former alignment of the local line to Rheine is still partly available. Since it passes through a residential area, a tunnel is necessary: some houses would need to be demolished. On the edge of Ochtrup, the old alignment is cut by a business park, but this could be passed with limited demolition.

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From there, the new line would run through open, flat countryside, avoiding the low ridge to the south. (The old local line passed south of this ridge, through the villages of Wettringen and Neuenkirchen). There would be no intermediate stations: there is only one small village near the line, Haddorf. The alignment shown is indicative:

Near Bentlage, the new line would join the Ems valley line, for about 3 km, to Rheine station.

The old line Ochtrup – Rheine was 22 km long, the new line would be shorter, approximately 20 km. Journey time, on the 38-km double-track electric route from Enschede to Rheine, should be under 20 minutes. The pattern of services shown below assumes that regional services from both Münster and Rheine serve the Twente axis Enschede – Hengelo – Almelo, but other variants are possible.