Frankfurt’s U5 light rail line is to be extended by 1.5 km from its current terminus at Preungesheim, adding three stops, to the Frankfurter Berg S-Bahn station as part of the Frankfurt am Main comprehensive transport plan.
The draft planning work was completed in 2011, but then put on hold. Now the extension is back on the agenda. Before construction can begin, planning permission must be obtained through a planning approval process.
The city council approved the preliminary draft plans for the extension of the U5 light rail line from Preungesheim to Frankfurter Berg in its plenary session, paving the way for further planning.
Three new stops, P+R parking spaces, footpaths and cycle paths by 2034
Work on the extension of the U5 from Preungesheim could begin in 2031. Three new stops are planned along a 1.5 km stretch: ‘August-Schanz-Straße’, ‘Berkersheimer Weg’ and ‘Frankfurter Berg’. The new line will end directly in front of the S-Bahn station of the same name. The extension is scheduled to take three years.
“With the extension of the U5 to Frankfurter Berg, we are creating a convenient connection for thousands of residents and commuters in the north of Frankfurt. The route is barrier-free, landscaped and framed by new, safe footpaths and cycle paths in both directions. This will promote Frankfurter Berg as a liveable neighbourhood – in line with the vision of a city that grows without leaving anyone behind,” emphasises Wolfgang Siefert, Head of Mobility.
The new route will run from the Preungesheim stop west of Homburger Landstraße to the BAB A661 motorway junction. At the junction, the route will swing to the middle of the road and remain there until the end.
Walkways and cycle paths more than two metres wide are to be built on both sides of the road. The cycle paths will be separated from the carriageway by a kerb. This will increase road safety. In order to implement this spatially, the road space is to be widened overall.
In addition, the feasibility of a 60-space park-and-ride car park at the ‘Frankfurter Berg’ terminus is being examined. Once the new section is complete, the underground will run every 5 minutes during peak hours and every 7.5 minutes during off-peak hours. Where possible, the tracks will be greened.
The next steps
Extensive planning, approval and preparation phases are required before construction can begin. One and a half years are planned for the design phase. Two years are scheduled for the planning approval process. It will take another two years to prepare the construction and financing proposal and to put the construction work out to tender. In order to be able to realise the necessary road cross-section, including footpaths and cycle paths, the City of Frankfurt must acquire several plots of land affected by the expansion. The City of Frankfurt will approach the landowners to find sensible solutions.
The total cost of the project is estimated at approximately €92.55 million. The city’s total share currently amounts to approximately €49.85 million.
A project with history
The extension of the light rail system was decided in 2005 as part of the overall transport plan. In 2012, the project was postponed for cost reasons and in favour of other projects, such as the extension of the light rail system to the Europaviertel district. It was resumed in 2017. In 2021, the extension was defined as a goal in the 2025+ local transport plan of the city of Frankfurt am Main. On 27 October 2025, the Mobility Committee voted unanimously to continue with the project.
The expansion of the U5 light rail line is one of Frankfurt’s most comprehensive current infrastructure projects. The line, which currently runs from the main station through the city centre to Preungesheim, will be extended in two directions: north to Frankfurter Berg and west, partly underground through the Europaviertel to Römerhof, also in combination with P+R parking spaces.
(Info: VGF)
