Østbanen (Denmark)


Østbanen is a Danish local railway in the eastern part of Zealand. Østbanen started operations on 1 July 1879. It is today part of Lokaltog, a railway company operating nine local railways on the islands of Zealand, Lolland and Falster.
The stations of Himlingøje, Lille Linde, Tokkerup are outside of the respective villages, and it is even more distance between Faxe Syd station and Faxe and from Vallø station to Vallø castle. In addition to the terminuses, trains can bypass at Egøje, Vallø, Grubberholm, Klippinge, Harlev, Karise and Stare Heddinge; Faxe Syd has a short side track, the remaining line is single track and without electrification.
Trains run every 15 minutes between Køge and Hårlev junction, from where services alternate between the two termini of Rødvig and Faxe Ladeplads. The Danish Ministry of Transport has proposed that services be extended from Køge to Roskilde, on the tracks of the existing Lille Syd Line.
In June 2020, trains were running every 30 minutes both Køge to Faxe Ladeplads through Hårlev and Hårlev to Rødvig with intervonnection to the other train at Hårlev. Scheduled travel times were 15 and 16 minutes between Køge and Hårlev, 20 and 21 minutes between Hårlev and Rødvig, and also 20 and 21 minutes between Hårlev and Faxe Ladeplads. Stops or change of trains at Hårlev require another 3 to 5 minutes.
All of the station buildings on the line were designed by architect Heinrich Wenck.
Since 2009 Alstom Coradia LINT 41 trains have been in use.
Investigations were made in 2020 whether to convert the railway into a busway, as rail infrastructure was reaching the end of its lifetime.