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 AIRail,
a product of the three partners Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Deutsche
Bahn AG and Fraport AG, will be offered on the new Cologne-Frankfurt
high-speed ICE route. Commencing January 15, 2003, the rail
connection is to be completely integrated into the worldwide
Lufthansa route network. Deutsche Lufthansa AG assesses the
opening of the new ICE route from Frankfurt to Cologne as
an important step in the modernisation of the transport infrastructure
in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Says Dr Christoph Klingenberg, general representative - Group
Infrastructure, Deutsche Lufthansa AG: “With AIRail,
new prospects open up for existing cooperation with German
Railways. We are sure of offering customers a trend-setting
product with AIRail.”
With a journey time of 58 minutes between Cologne central
station and Frankfurt Airport station, the ICE train cancels
out the previous time saving made by aircraft on this route.
In addition, the train services at regular intervals as of
December 15, 2002, will surpass the parallel program of flights
- six flights daily in each direction. For every international
flight from Frankfurt, there will be an ideal ICE feeder from
Cologne. The average transfer time for connections from Cologne
via Frankfurt to the world will be perceptibly reduced.
The project teams of Lufthansa and German Railways are working
to completely integrate the ICE connections between Cologne
and Frankfurt into the flight route network. Once established,
it should be possible for airline passengers to check in at
Cologne central station, including checking their baggage
through to their final destination and their boarding card
for the onward flight from Frankfurt.
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