die  Bahnstrecke

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈbaːnʃtʁɛkə/

🛤️ What exactly is a Bahnstrecke?

The German word die Bahnstrecke (feminine, article 'die') refers to a designated route or path on which trains or other rail vehicles operate. It typically consists of Gleise (tracks), Signalanlagen (signal systems), and often Oberleitungen (overhead lines).

It's a specific term for a railway line between two or more places, forming the basis for Schienenverkehr (rail transport).

🚨 Attention: Do not confuse it with 'das Gleis' (the individual track) or 'der Bahnsteig' (the platform for boarding and alighting).

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Bahnstrecke

The noun 'Bahnstrecke' is feminine. Here is its declension:

Example Sentences

• Die neue Bahnstrecke verkürzt die Reisezeit erheblich.
  (The new railway line significantly shortens the travel time.)
• Wegen Bauarbeiten ist die Bahnstrecke zwischen Hamburg und Berlin gesperrt.
  (Due to construction work, the railway line between Hamburg and Berlin is closed.)
• Die malerische Bahnstrecke führt durch die Alpen.
  (The scenic railway line runs through the Alps.)
• Viele alte Bahnstrecken werden heute als Radwege genutzt.
  (Many old railway lines are used as cycle paths today.)

🚉 When to use 'Bahnstrecke'?

The term 'die Bahnstrecke' is used in various contexts:

• Travel planning: When talking about train connections and routes (e.g., "Welche Bahnstrecke fährt der ICE nach München?" - Which railway line does the ICE take to Munich?).
• News & traffic reports: In reports about disruptions, accidents, or construction sites on the rail network (e.g., "Die Bahnstrecke ist nach einem Erdrutsch blockiert." - The railway line is blocked after a landslide.).
• Infrastructure & technology: In connection with the construction, maintenance, or planning of railway lines.
• Geography & tourism: To describe scenic or historically significant train routes.

Compared to:

• Das Gleis: Refers only to the physical rail or track bed (e.g., "Der Zug fährt auf Gleis 5 ein." - The train arrives on track 5.). A Bahnstrecke consists of at least one, but often multiple, Gleise.
• Die Route: A more general term for a way or path, which can also be used for roads, flights, or hiking trails. 'Bahnstrecke' is specific to trains.
• Die Linie: Can be used synonymously (e.g., 'Eisenbahnlinie' - railway line), but is also often used for specific connections in local transport (U-Bahn-Linie - subway line, S-Bahn-Linie - suburban train line).

🧠 Mnemonics for Bahnstrecke

Article Mnemonic: Think of the German word for 'stretch' or 'route' which is 'die Strecke'. Since 'Strecke' is feminine ('die'), 'die Bahnstrecke' is also feminine. The train (Bahn) runs on a specific route (Strecke). Many nouns ending in -e are feminine.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine a long Bahn (train/railway) stretching along a fixed Strecke (stretch/route). Bahn + Strecke = the route for the train.

🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms

Related Terms (Be careful not to confuse!)

• Gleis (das): The individual track.
• Bahnhof (der): Train station.
• Bahnsteig (der): Platform in a station.
• Fahrplan (der): Timetable.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum nehmen Skelette nie den Zug auf einer langen Bahnstrecke?

Weil sie keine Geduld für die lange Warte-Schlange haben! 😉

(Why do skeletons never take the train on a long railway line?)
(Because they don't have the patience for the long queue/spine!) (Pun on 'Schlange' meaning both 'queue' and 'snake', and linking skeleton -> spine)

📜 Poem about the Bahnstrecke

Auf stählernem Band, durch Stadt und Land,
Zieht die Bahnstrecke, wohlbekannt.
Von Bahnhof zu Bahnhof, ein steter Lauf,
Nimmt der schnelle Zug die Reisenden auf.

Durch Tunnel dunkel, über Brücken weit,
Verbindet sie Orte, verkürzt die Zeit.
Ein Netz aus Schienen, präzis und klar,
Die Bahnstrecke ist für alle da.

(On a steel ribbon, through city and country,
Runs the railway line, well-known.
From station to station, a constant run,
The fast train picks up the travelers.)

(Through dark tunnels, over bridges wide,
It connects places, shortens the time.
A network of rails, precise and clear,
The railway line is there for everyone.)

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich habe Gleise, aber keine Kleider.
Ich verbinde Städte, doch reise nicht selber leider.
Züge fahren auf mir hin und her.
Was bin ich wohl? Die Antwort ist nicht schwer.

(I have tracks, but no clothes.
I connect cities, but unfortunately don't travel myself.
Trains run back and forth on me.
What am I? The answer isn't hard.)

Solution: Die Bahnstrecke (The railway line)

💡 More Interesting Facts

Word Composition

The word 'Bahnstrecke' is a compound noun, composed of:

• Die Bahn: Short for Eisenbahn (railway).
• Die Strecke: A route, distance, stretch, or line.

Together, it means the specific path or line for the railway.

Trivia

• Germany has one of the densest railway networks in the world, with thousands of kilometers of Bahnstrecken.
• Famous German Bahnstrecken include the Rhine Valley line (scenic) or the Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed line.
• The construction of Bahnstrecken was and often still is a complex engineering project involving tunnels, bridges, and embankments.