Busse in Hamburg: Eilbus E 62 und Schnellbus 39 – Die letzten Fahrten

In December, 2018, a change of timetables (2018/2019) in the public transport organisation of Hamburg, HVV, took place. Some bus lines were withdrawn from service and replaced by other lines. In Wandsbek, a district in the East of Hamburg, the direct bus line E 62 and the rapid bus line 39 were withdrawn. Rapid buses offer connections to the city centre without changing vehicles. This network was completed by the semi-circle line 39. Rapid buses typically stop only at every second bus stop. Buses are used that offer more comfortable seats etc to the passengers. For this, passengers have to pay an additional fare. Many people refuse to pay this surcharge and so rapid buses are often occupied by few passengers, they run at a high economical deficit. In the eastern part of line 39 there is, however, enough traffic. Therefore, this part of line 39 was replaced by line 28. The western part was replaced by another line. Direct buses were introduced in the 1970s/1980s. Their function was to connect large (sub)urban quarters with many flats to the nearest underground or suburban rail station. To shorten the ride, these buses do not stop in the first part of their run. They omit the first 5 to 10 stations, counted from the underground stop. They distribute their passengers in the quarter with many flats. No surcharge is taken. Most of these direct bus lines have, however, been withdrawn by now. E 62 was the last of them, going to the quarter of Jenfeld. Now there are only few direct bus lines left, like that one going to the aircraft factory of Airbus. Sequence of scenes: 00:00 Wandsbek-Markt, departure of E 62 00:45 Bahnhof Wandsbek, E 62 passes by non-stop 01:12 Bovestraße (E 62) 01:51 Rodigallee (E 62) 02:29 Rodigallee near the church „Der Gute Hirte“ ("The Good Shepherd", E 62) 03:08 Wandsbek-Markt, arrival and departure of rapid bus 39 03:53 Underground station Habichtstraße, rapid bus 39