The annual timetable change is coming up next Sunday. There will be no major changes to the routes and departure times. However, there will no longer be any printed timetables.
For the Europe-wide timetable change on the second Sunday in December, Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) traditionally makes targeted optimisations to its bus services. This year there will be another important change: for the first time, there will no longer be any printed timetable booklets from SWG and Verkehrsgesellschaft Oberhessen (VGO). The timetables valid from 10 December will only be published in digital form - i.e. on the SWG and VGO websites and in the RMVgo app. Background: In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that the analogue timetables were sometimes no longer up to date shortly after they were delivered to the sales outlets - due to various construction measures and diversions, for example. "It is in the interests of the environment to dispense with printed timetables, which often end up in the bin a short time later because they are out of date," says Anne Müller-Kreutz, Head of Local Transport Services at SWG, supporting the decision.
Of course, anyone who wants to can still create their own timetable on paper. Timetables can be customised by route and time period on the website, downloaded as a PDF and printed out. If you don't have your own printer, you can contact the RMV mobility centre in the SWG customer centre on Marktplatz. The staff will search for the desired connection and print out the corresponding timetable directly on site.
Manageable corrections
Timetable changes at SWG usually mean improving tried and tested services in a very targeted manner. Consequently, the changes to the timetable this winter are also manageable. They only affect lines 1, 5, 800, 801 and 802.
Line 1
Lützellinden - Rödgen
The new "Rechtenbacher Hohl" terminus in Lützellinden is expected to go into operation by the end of December 2023 - or by January 2024 at the latest. This will extend journeys on line 1 in Lützellinden beyond the former "Langer Strich" terminus to the new "Rechtenbacher Hohl" terminus in the industrial estate. Only on Sundays will the early journeys continue to start and end at the Lützellinden "Langer Strich" stop due to the timetable change.
With the timetable change on 10 December 2023, departure times for evening services will change from Monday to Saturday and throughout Sunday. The changes will be more pronounced in the direction of travel from Lützellinden to Rödgen.
In addition, on Sundays, the first journey in the direction of Lützellinden will already start in Rödgen at the "Bürgerhaus" stop instead of the "Sophie-Scholl-Schule" stop.
Line 5
Wieseck Greizer Straße - Giessen railway station
On Saturdays and Sundays, the first journey in the direction of the railway station will in future start at the Wieseck "Burgenring" stop instead of the Wieseck "Greizer Straße" stop.
Lines 800, 801 and 802
Giessen - Wettenberg
On these lines, departure times will be adjusted by one minute for some early journeys.
Still many roadworks
In the coming year, Giessen city buses will continue to have to switch to alternative routes due to various roadworks. As these are temporary events, SWG asks you to check the RMVgo app or www.swg-verkehr.de for information on current roadworks and the associated timetable changes.
Christmas and New Year's Eve
As Christmas and New Year's Eve fall on a Sunday, the Sunday timetable applies with restrictions: On 24 December, buses will run until around 17:00 and on 31 December until around 23:30. SWG asks you to observe the notes in the respective timetable. On the night from New Year's Eve to New Year's Day, SWG will be running the New Year's Eve shuttles between 01:00 and 05:00 as usual.
The current timetables can be found at www.swg-verkehr.de, at www.rmv.de or in the RMVgo app. Of course, the staff at the RMV mobility centre in Giessen in the SWG customer centre on Marktplatz will also be happy to help from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00. SWG is of course also available to answer questions by telephone on 0641 708-1400 or by email at mobizentrale@stadtwerke-giessen.de.