Vogtlandbahn - Vogtland-Express

From 12. June 2005 Vogtlandbahn started their first long distance service. Once a day a train runs from Plauen to Berlin and back.

The Vogtland-Express started early in the morning in Plauen and passed through Reichenbach, Werdau, Altenburg, Leipzig Hbf and Berlin Schönefeld Airport to its terminus, Berlin-Lichtenberg. In the evening it returned to Plauen. Travel time was about three and a half hours of which half an hour is needed to pass through the Berlin suburbs. Then in autumn 2005 the route was extended to Hof, giving a connection to north east Bayern.

The train routes through Berlin on the Berliner Stadtbahn have been subject to much modernisation, so the Vogtland Express moved it Berlin stations in summer 2006. In 2007, engineering works at Leipzig meant a change of route through Zwickau, Chemnitz and Riesa. The train no longer operates to Berlin-Lichtenberg or Hof. Its southern terminus is generally Adorf (or Plauen for some weekend services).

This service is pitched for business travellers and day trippers. It leaves a period of about eight hours in Berlin between arrival and departure. The ticket price is 30% lower than on Deutsche Bahn though a lot slower. Tickets can only be bought on the train. Desiro, trains with service staff and a catering system are used.

Since 10 January 2011 Vogtland-Express services have been replaced by a bus service, due to a shortage of Desiro diesel multiple units. The ETS bus runs from Reichenbach (Vogtland) via Zwickau (Sachs) Hbf, Chemnitz Hbf and Berlin-Schönefeld Flughafen to Berlin Zoologischer Garten. This may continue to June 2011.