Shortly after the route leaves Bamberg station the branch line to Scheßlitz (now closed) branches off, as does the main line to Würzburg that runs parallel as far as the heights of Kleingartensiedlung and then swings away to the northwest. From the left, a link line from the Würzburg railway joins the route; which now passes under the A 70 motorway and runs past the western edge of Hallstadt and then parallel to the B 4 before reaching Breitengüßbach. After the station the branch line to Ebern branches off as well as the branch line to Dietersdorf – now closed and dismantled. The line passes under A 73 motorway and runs parallel to the river Main. Passing through the stations of Ebing, Zapfendorf, Ebensfeld (where in future the high-speed line to Erfurt will form a junction) and Bad Staffelstein, the line reaches Lichtenfels.
The line is doubled and electrified from Bamberg to Hochstadt-Marktzeuln. The remaining section to Hof is not electrified but, apart from the single-tracked section from Marktschorgast to Stammbach, is also doubled. The top speed applicable to the route is, in places, up to 160 km/h.
RegionalExpress trains on the Nuremberg–Bamberg–Lichtenfels–Sonneberg and Würzburg–Schweinfurt–Bamberg– Lichtenfels–Hof/Bayreuth routes also shuttle hourly on the Bamberg–Lichtenfels section. They are reinforced by Regionalbahn trains on the Nuremberg–Bamberg–Lichtenfels line.
RegionalExpress trains to Sonneberg comprise double-decker trains designed for speeds of up to 160 km/h headed by Class 146electric locomotives. The line from Würzburg to Hof/Bayreuth is worked by diesel-powered Class 612 tilting trains due to the tight curves on the Schiefe Ebene and the unelectrified stretch from Hochstadt-Marktzeuln to Hof. These are separated or combined during 'system halts' at Wirsberg.
The two-hourly Regionalexpress to Würzburg–Bamberg–Hof/Bayreuth is supplemented by RE trains between Lichtenfels and Hof/Bayreuth to provide an hourly service.
RegionalBahn services on the Lichtenfels–Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg section are provided by Desiro multiples of the Regentalbahn working under contract to DB Regio.
Between Marktschorgast and Hof a few trains of the Franken-Sachsen-Express work the route from Nuremberg via Bayreuth to Dresden.
The line between Bamberg and Ebensfeld (main article) is to be upgraded to 230 km/h in order to reduce journey times between Munich and Berlin still further. Therefore, the line will be closed from 12 January 2016 until 3 September 2016 between Bamberg and Bad Staffelstein.[2]
Upper Franconia diesel network
Regionalbahn services on the Lichtenfels–Neuenmarkt-Wirsberg(–Bayreuth) and Münchberg–Hof routes are part of the Bavarian Railway Company’s Upper Franconia Diesel Network announced on 8 February 2008, which is due to start on 12 June 2011 with new vehicles and a better level of service. In addition, direct hourly trains are planned from Weiden via Bayreuth and Lichtenfels to Bad Rodach.[3]