For just over a week, Laim station and the neighboring Hirschgarten station will effectively drop out of the S-Bahn network. The reason is straightforward: this is the final phase of construction on a new platform and new tracks, without which further development of Munich’s suburban rail system – specifically the second S-Bahn trunk line – cannot proceed.
Eight days of cancellations and service reductions will affect nearly every S-Bahn line. Some routes will be shortened, others will be rerouted around the usual stops, and a few trains will temporarily disappear from the schedule altogether.
What will replace the trains
Both Laim and Hirschgarten stations will be closed to passengers during the construction work. In their place, replacement buses will run between Pasing and Hackerbrücke.
There’s also an alternative on rails – the city tram, affectionately nicknamed the “Finnish sauna” by locals:
- Line 14, with a transfer to the U5 line;
- Line 19, which will run every 10 minutes in the evenings.
According to Deutsche Bahn’s press office, all tickets will remain valid across these alternative routes, so no extra fare will be required.
How S-Bahn schedules will change
Each S-Bahn line will restructure its route differently, and unfortunately, the gap between the old and new schedules will be substantial.
- S1 will be shortened, running only between Freising (or Flughafen) and Moosach.
- S2 will run between Altomünster (or Petershausen) and Heimeranplatz at 30-minute intervals, while the Hackerbrücke-Erding section will keep its normal schedule. A replacement bus route will carry passengers between Altomünster and Dachau.
- S3 will split into two independent routes: Mammendorf-Pasing and Donnersbergerbrücke-Holzkirchen.
- S4 will be cut back to the Geltendorf-Pasing stretch.
- S5 and S7 will merge into a single line for the duration of the works, running continuously from Icking to Aying. This isn’t a coincidence – separate construction work is taking place at the same time on the rail section between Icking and Großhelfendorf.
- S6 will likewise split into two routes: Tutzing-Hauptbahnhof (bypassing Pasing) and Ostbahnhof-Ebersberg.
- S8 will follow the same pattern: Herrsching-Hauptbahnhof (bypassing Pasing) and Donnersbergerbrücke-Flughafen.
What will happen to regional trains
The restrictions won’t be limited to the city’s S-Bahn network. Trains on the Allgäu route – RE70 and RE96 from Lindau, as well as RE72 from Memmingen – will pass through Pasing without stopping, in both directions.
Other routes will also see changes:
- RB74 from Buchloe will run only as far as Fürstenfeldbruck;
- RB68 from Füssen will be limited to the Pasing route on weekends;
- RE2 from the Landshut area will terminate at Moosach;
- most RE3 services will be routed through Moosach to the Holzkirchner Flügelbahnhof terminus.
Worth noting separately: on the night of August 17-18, the central Stammstrecke tunnel – the city’s main transit artery, connecting its eastern and western halves – will be closed entirely.
What changes once construction is finished
It’s important to distinguish between the temporary and permanent effects of the new platform’s construction. The eight-day disruption to city S-Bahn service will end on August 25, but some restrictions affecting Laim station will remain in place far longer – until mid-2028.
That’s because the old platform used by lines S3, S4, S6, and S8 on their inbound journey from Pasing toward the city center is set to be demolished and rebuilt. While that work is underway, trains on these lines will not stop at Laim in the inbound direction.
In the opposite direction – from the city center toward Laim – all S-Bahn trains will continue to stop as before. Passengers traveling from Pasing into the city center are advised to use the S5 line instead. Another option is to board the S1 or S2 from Moosach.
The full schedule for the restricted period, along with details on alternative routes, is published on the official website.
The reconstruction of Laim station is part of a broader, multi-year modernization plan for the Munich S-Bahn. For passengers, this means adapting to temporary service patterns is likely to become a recurring experience. For now, the wisest approach is to check the schedule in advance and build extra time into your journey.
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