View source for S-Bahn

{{Short description|Type of commuter rail system in Europe}}
{{Redirect|S-train||S Train (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
<!--''This article has been partially translated from the German Wikipedia article.''-->
[[File:Schema U-Bahn S-Bahn.png|thumb|270x270px|Schema comparing [[rapid transit]] ([[Rapid transit in Germany|U-Bahn]], left) with S-Bahn (right). Note the dual role of the S-Bahn with many branches from the suburbs combining to serve a busy corridor in the central area comparable with a rapid-transit system. The actual layouts vary by city, and several have rapid transit like the right image]]
[[File:Berlin SBahn HackescherMarkt east.jpg|thumb|206px|Part of [[Berlin Stadtbahn]]. The tracks on the right belong to the S-Bahn network and the trains stop at the [[Berlin Hackescher Markt station|Hackescher Markt station]], while the other two tracks are for other train types, which do not stop at this station. ]]
The '''S-Bahn''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|s|b|ɑː|n|audio=en-us-S-Bahn.ogg}} {{respell|ESS|bahn}}, {{IPA|de|ˈɛsˌbaːn|lang|De-S-Bahn.ogg}}), {{lit|S-Railway }}, is a hybrid [[urban rail|urban]]–[[suburban rail]] system serving a [[metropolitan region]] predominantly in [[German language|German-speaking]] countries. Some of the larger S-Bahn systems provide service similar to [[rapid transit]] systems, while smaller ones often resemble [[Commuter rail|commuter]] or even [[regional rail]] systems. The name ''S-Bahn'' derives from {{lang|de|Schnellbahn}} ({{lit|rapid train}}), {{lang|de|Stadtbahn}} ({{lit|city train}}, not to be confused with the present-day ''[[Stadtbahn]]'') or {{lang|de|Stadtschnellbahn}} ({{lit|rapid city train}}).

Similar systems in [[Austria]] and German-speaking [[Switzerland]] are known as S-Bahn as well. In [[Belgium]], it is known as '''S-Trein''' ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]) or '''Train S''' ([[French language|French]]). In [[Denmark]], they are known as '''S-tog''' {{IPA|da|ˈesˌtsʰɔˀw|}}, and in the [[Czech Republic]] as '''Esko''' or '''S-lines'''. In [[Milan]], they are known as [[Milan S Lines|'''Linee S''']].

S-Bahn is also a treated as a [[Train categories in Europe|train category]] in several European countries.

== Characteristics ==
There is no complete definition of an S-Bahn system. S-Bahn are, where they exist, the most local type of passenger train service that stops at all existing stations on mainline networks inside and around a city (while other mainline trains only call at major stations).

They are slower than regional mainline trains, but usually serve as fast crosstown services within the city. The [[S-train (Copenhagen)|Copenhagen S-tog]] for example goes up to {{convert|120|km/h|mph}}, faster than most urban heavy rail and mass transit. The [[Rhine-Main S-Bahn]], which serves Frankfurt, Mainz and Wiesbaden has tracks with speeds of {{cvt|160|km/h}} on some sections, comparable to some Intercity services in neighboring countries, but the trains themselves are limited to 140km/h. S-Bahn trains generally serve the hinterland of a certain city, rather than connecting different cities, although in high population density areas a few exceptions to this exist. A good example of such an exception is the [[Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn]], which interconnects the cities, towns and suburbs of the [[Ruhr]], a large [[urban agglomeration]].

Many larger S-Bahn systems have at their core a corridor of exclusive trackage that individual suburban branches feed into, creating a high frequency trunk corridor. In many cases, this central corridor is a dedicated grade-separated line in the city centre with close stop spacing and a high frequency, similar to metro systems. A good example of this is [[Berliner Stadtbahn]] in Berlin's S-Bahn, which is regarded as a tourist attraction.<ref name="stadtschnellbahn-berlin.de">{{Cite web |title=Geschichte und Geschichten rund um die Berliner S-Bahn |url=http://www.stadtschnellbahn-berlin.de/strecken/01/ |website=Stadtschnellbahn-berlin.de}}</ref>

Outside of the city center, most S-Bahn systems are entirely built on older local railways, or in some cases parallel to an existing dual track railway. Most use existing local mainline railway trackage, but a few branches and lines can be purpose-built S-Bahn lines.<ref>An example of this is the ''Køgebugt'' or Køge-Bay railway at Copenhagen, built 1971 to 1983 {{cite web |url=http://www.bane.dk/visArtikel.asp?artikelID=256 |title=Banedanmark - Dansk jernbanehistorie |access-date=2005-05-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050203185250/http://bane.dk/visArtikel.asp?artikelID=256 |archive-date=3 February 2005 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://s-bahn-galerie.de/S_Bahn_Hamburg/Geschichte_HH.htm|title=S-train tunnel at Hamburg between Central Station and Altona 1967-1979|website=S-bahn-galerie.de|access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref> S-Bahn trains typically use overhead lines or a third rail for traction power. In Hamburg both methods are used, depending on which line is powered.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://s-bahn-galerie.de/S_Bahn_Hamburg/Geschichte_HH.htm |title=Geschichte der S-Bahn Hamburg - S-Bahn-Galerie.de |access-date=31 March 2016 |archive-date=28 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328235426/http://s-bahn-galerie.de/S_Bahn_Hamburg/Geschichte_HH.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In smaller S-Bahn systems and suburban sections of larger ones, trains typically share tracks with other rail traffic, with the [[Berlin S-Bahn]], [[Hamburg S-Bahn]] and [[Copenhagen S-train]] being notable exceptions.

Further out from the central parts of a city the individual services branch off into lines where the distances between stations can exceed 5&nbsp;km, similar to commuter rail. This allows the S-Bahn to serve a dual transport purpose: local transport within a city centre and suburban transport between suburbs and central boroughs of larger cities. Frequencies vary wildly between systems, with headways ranging from 2 minutes in the core sections of large networks to 30 or even 60 minutes in remote sections of the network, at off-peak times and in smaller systems.

The rolling stock typically used for S-Bahn systems reflects its hybrid purpose. The interior is designed for short journeys with provision for standing passengers, but may have more space allocated to comfortable seating than metro trains.

Integration with other local transport for ticketing, connectivity and easy interchange between lines or other systems like metros is typical for the S-Bahn. Where both S-Bahn and metro exist, the number of interchange stations between the two systems is substantial, with metro tickets being valid on S-Bahn services and vice versa. The [[S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland]] constitutes the main local railway system for [[Leipzig]] but also connects to [[Halle (Saale)|Halle]], where a few stations are located. The [[Rostock S-Bahn]] is an example of a smaller S-Bahn system.

== Etymology ==
=== Germany, Austria and Switzerland ===
The name ''S-Bahn'' is an abbreviation of the German ''Stadtschnellbahn'' ("city rapid railway") and was introduced in December 1930 in Berlin. The name was introduced at the time of the reconstruction of the suburban commuter train tracks— the first section to be electrified was a section of the [[Berlin–Szczecin railway|Berlin–Stettin railway]] from [[Berlin Nordbahnhof]] to [[Bernau bei Berlin station]] in 1924, leading to the formation of the Berlin S-Bahn.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stadtschnellbahn-berlin.de/|title=Geschichte und Geschichten rund um die Berliner S-Bahn|website=Stadtschnellbahn-berlin.de|access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref>

The main line [[Berlin Stadtbahn|Berliner Stadtbahn]] ("Berlin city railway") was electrified with a 750 volt [[third rail]] in 1928 (some steam trains ran until 1929) and the circle line [[Berlin Ringbahn|Berliner Ringbahn]] was electrified in 1929. The electrification continued on the radial suburban railway tracks along with the timetable moving to a rapid transit model with no more than a 20-minute headway per line where a number of lines overlapped on the main line. The system peaked during the [[1936 Summer Olympics]] in Berlin with trains scheduled at least every 2 minutes.<ref name="auto"/>

The idea of heavy rail rapid transit was not unique to Berlin. Hamburg had an electric railway between the [[Hamburg Hauptbahnhof|central station]] (''Hauptbahnhof'') and [[Hamburg-Altona station|Altona]] which opened in 1906, and in 1934 the system adopted the ''S-Bahn'' label from Berlin.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}} In the same year in Denmark, Copenhagen's [[S-tog]] opened its first line. In Austria, Vienna had its ''Stadtbahn'' main line electrified in 1908 and also introduced the term ''Schnellbahn'' ("rapid railway") in 1954 for its planned commuter railway network, which started operations in 1962. The ''S-Bahn'' label was sometimes used as well, but the name was only switched to [[S-Bahn Wien]] in 2005.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}

As for [[Munich]], in 1938 the Nazi government broke ground for an S-Bahn-like rapid transport system in [[Lindwurmstraße]] near what is now [[Goetheplatz station]] on line U6. The system was supposed to run through tunnels in the city centre. The planning process mainly consisted of the bundling and interconnecting of existing suburban and local railways, plus the construction of a few new lines. Plans and construction work - including the building shell of Goetheplatz station - came to a very early halt during [[World War II]] and were not pursued in its aftermath. Very extensive nowadays, Munich's existing S-Bahn system, together with the first two [[U-Bahn]] lines, only began to operate prior to the [[1972 Summer Olympics]].

The term ''S-Bahn'' was a registered [[wordmark]] of [[Deutsche Bahn]] until 14 March 2012, when, at the request of a transportation association, the [[Federal Patent Court of Germany]] ordered its removal from the records of the [[Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt|German Patent and Trade Mark Office]].<ref>[http://juris.bundespatentgericht.de/cgi-bin/rechtsprechung/document.py?Gericht=bpatg&Art=en&Datum=Aktuell&nr=23159&pos=1&anz=323&Blank=1.pdf Beschluss Bundespatentgericht vom 14. März 2012]. Juris.bundespatentgericht.de, Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref> Prior to this Deutsche Bahn collected a royalty of 0.4 cents per train kilometer for the use of the term.

=== Denmark ===
[[File:Vesterport Station Main Entrance.jpg|thumb|left|Vesterport S-train station has three entrances. This is the main one.]]
[[File:Vesterport STrain Station Platform and S-Trains.jpg|thumb|right|Vesterport station is located below street level, but is not under ground. Other trains do not stop here, solely S-trains. Compare with picture of Berlin's S-Bahn above. Same concept.]]
[[File:Svanemøllen Station 01.jpg|left|thumb|Svanemøllen Station, main entrance]]
The "S" stood for "station". Just before the opening of the first line in the [[Copenhagen S-train]] network, the newspaper ''[[Politiken]]'' on 17 February 1934 held a competition about the name, which in Danish became known as ''Den elektriske enquete'' or "The electrical survey" (as the Copenhagen S-trains would become the first electrical railways in Denmark). But since an "S" already was put up at all the stations, weeks before the survey, the result became ''S-tog'' which means "S-train".<ref name="poulsen 2009 47">John Poulsen: S-bane 1934-2009 side 47</ref> This was also just a few years after the S-trains had opened in Berlin and Hamburg. Today the Copenhagen S-trains uses six lines and serves 86 stations, 32 of them are located inside the (quite tiny) municipality borders. Each line uses 6 t.p.h (trains per hour) in each direction, with exception of the (yellow) F-line. The F-line has departures in each direction every five minutes, or 12 t.p.h. service .<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dsb.dk/globalassets/pdf/koereplaner/s-tog/2017/s-tog-30jan17.pdf|title=Siden blev desværre ikke fundet|website=Dsb.dk|access-date=24 October 2021|archive-date=15 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215070716/http://www.dsb.dk/globalassets/pdf/koereplaner/s-tog/2017/s-tog-30jan17.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== History ==
The history of the ''S-Bahn'' in present-day Germany begins in the 19th century in [[Prussia]].

=== Early steam services ===
In 1882, the growing number of [[Steam locomotive|steam-powered]] trains around Berlin prompted the Prussian State Railway to construct separate rail tracks for suburban traffic.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}} The ''Berliner Stadtbahn'' connected Berlin's eight intercity rail stations which were spread throughout the city (all but the ''Stettiner Bahnhof'' which today is a pure S-Bahn station known as [[Berlin Nordbahnhof]]; as the city ''Stettin'' today is Polish city [[Szczecin]]). A lower rate{{clarify|date=April 2020}} for the newly founded ''Berliner Stadt-, Ring- und Vorortbahn'' (Berlin City, Circular and Suburban Rail) was introduced on 1 October 1891. This rate and the growing succession of trains made the short-distance service stand out from other railways.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}

The second suburban railway was the ''[[Hamburg]]-Altonaer Stadt- und Vorortbahn'' connecting Hamburg with [[Altona, Hamburg|Altona]] and [[Blankenese]]. The Altona office of the Prussian State Railway established the electric powered railway in 1906.<ref name="ReferenceA">See picture of Berliner Stadtbahn by Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station, the third rail is clearly seen between the two S-Bahn tracks. Original name of that station was "Börse", or "the Stock Market" (which now is located in Frankfurt am Main)</ref>

=== Electricity ===
[[File:Type 474 HH-Diebsteich.jpg|thumb|right|The Hamburg S-Bahn third rail system]]
The beginning of the 20th century saw the first electric trains, which in Germany operated at 15,000 [[Volt|V]] on [[overhead lines]]. The ''[[Berlin S-Bahn|Berliner Stadt-, Ring- und Vorortbahn]]'' instead implemented [[direct current]] [[multiple unit]]s running on 750 V from a [[third rail]]. In 1924, the first electrified route went into service. The third rail was chosen because it made both the modifications of the rail tracks (especially in tunnels and under bridges) and the side-by-side use of electric and steam trains easier.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

To set it apart from the subterranean ''[[Rapid transit in Germany#U-Bahn|U-Bahn]]'', the term ''S-Bahn'' replaced ''Stadt-, Ring- und Vorortbahn'' in 1930.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}

The Hamburg service had established an [[alternating current]] line in 1907 with the use of multiple units with [[slam door]]s. In 1940 a new system with 1200 V DC third rail and modern [[electric multiple unit]]s with [[sliding door]]s was integrated on this line (on the same tracks). The old system with overhead wire remained up to 1955. The other lines of the network still used steam and later Diesel power. 
In 1934, the ''Hamburg-Altonaer Stadt- und Vorortbahn'' was renamed as S-Bahn.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}
{{Clear}}

== Systems by country ==
{{stack begin}}
[[File:S-Bahnen in Österreich.svg|thumb|right|S-Bahn networks in Austria]]
[[File:Cityjet in Floridsdorf.jpg|thumb|A [[Siemens Desiro Mainline]] EMU of the [[Vienna S-Bahn]]]]
[[File:Bahnhof Heiligenstadt3.jpg|thumb|A [[ÖBB Class 4020|class 4020]] EMU on Vienna S-Bahn line S40]]
[[File:S-train diagram.svg|thumb|right|Schematic map of Copenhagen S-train]]
[[File:S-Bahnnetz Nürnberg.png|thumb|right|Map of the Nuremberg S-Bahn network]]
[[File:Karte der S-Bahn München.png|thumb|right|Map of the Munich S-Bahn network]]
[[File:S-Bahnnetze in Deutschland.svg|thumb|right|Map of S-Bahn networks in Germany]]
{{stack end}}

=== Austria ===
[[File:S-Bahn Austria.svg|30px|left|Austrian S-Bahn logo]]

The oldest and largest S-Bahn system in [[Austria]] is the [[Vienna S-Bahn]], which predominantly uses non exclusive rails tracks outside of [[Vienna]]. It was established in 1962, although it was usually referred to as ''Schnellbahn'' until 2005. The white "S" on a blue circle used as the logo is said to reflect the layout of the central railway line in Vienna. However, it has now been changed for a more stylized version that is used all through Austria, except Salzburg. The rolling stock was blue for a long time, reflecting the logo colour, but red is used uniformly for nearly all local traffic today.

[[File:S-Bahn Salzburg.svg|30px|left|Salzburg S-Bahn logo]]
In 2004, the [[Salzburg S-Bahn]] went into service as the first [[Euroregion]] S-Bahn, crossing the border to the neighbouring towns of [[Freilassing]] and [[Berchtesgaden]] in [[Bavaria]]. The network is served by three corporations: the ''Berchtesgadener Land Bahn'' (BLB)(S4), the [[Austrian Federal Railways]] (German: ''Österreichischen Bundesbahn'' / ÖBB)(S2 and S3) and the ''Salzburger Lokalbahn'' (SLB)(S1 and S11) and . The Salzburg S-Bahn logo is only different one, it is a white S on a light blue circle.

In 2006 the [[Regionalbahn|regional train]] line in the [[Alpine Rhine|Rhine Valley]] in the [[States of Austria|state]] of [[Vorarlberg]] has been renamed to [[Vorarlberg S-Bahn]]. It is a three lines network, operated by the ''[[Montafonerbahn]]'' and the ÖBB. It was later expanded. Presently, a frequent service, the S1, operates between {{rws|Bludenz}} to {{stn|Lindau-Reutin}} ([[Germany|D]]) via {{rws|Bregenz}}. In addition, an hourly service, S3 ([[ÖBB]]), connects [[Bregenz]] with [[St. Margrethen]] ([[Switzerland|CH]]), and another service (S2) operates between [[Feldkirch, Vorarlberg|Feldkirch]] ([[Austria|A]]), [[Schaan]] ([[Liechtenstein|FL]]) and [[Buchs SG]] (CH). The ''Montafonerbahn'' runs the S4.<ref>{{Cite web|title=S-Bahn Vorarlberg |url=https://www.oebb.at/en/regionale-angebote/vorarlberg/s-bahn-vorarlberg|access-date=12 December 2022|website=oebb.at}}</ref>

The ''[[S-Bahn Steiermark]]'' has been inaugurated in December 2007 in [[Styria]], built to connect its capital city [[Graz]] with the rest of the metropolitan area, currently the following lines are active: S1, S11, S3, S31, S5, S51, S6, S61, S7, S8 and S9. The network is operated by three railway companies: the ''Graz-Köflacher Bahn'' (GKB) (lines: S6, S61 and S7), the ÖBB (lines: S1, S3, S5, S51, S8 and S9) and the ''Steiermärkische Landesbahnen'' (StB) (lines: S11 and S31).

In December 2007 as well the [[Tyrol S-Bahn]] opened, running from [[Hall in Tirol]] in the east to [[Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof|Innsbruck Central Station]] and [[Telfs]] in the west and from Innsbruck to Steinach am Brenner. [[Bombardier Talent|Class 4024]] [[Electric multiple unit|EMUs]] are used as rolling stock on this network.

In 2010 the ''[[S-Bahn Kärnten]]'' was opened in the [[States of Austria|state]] of [[Carinthia]] and currently consists of 4 lines operated by ÖBB.

The youngest network is the ''[[S-Bahn Oberösterreich]]'' in the Greater [[Linz]] area of the state of [[Upper Austria]], which was inaugurated in December 2016. It is a 5 line system operated by ''[[Stern und Hafferl Verkehr|Stern und Hafferl]]'' and the ÖBB.

=== Belgium ===
[[File:NMBS S-Trein logo.svg|30px|left|Brussels ''S train'' logo]]
Since 2015, the trains of the [[Brussels Regional Express Network]] (French: ''Réseau Express Régional Bruxellois'', ''RER''; Dutch: ''Gewestelijk Expresnet'', GEN) of the [[National Railway Company of Belgium|NMBS/SNCB]] belong to train category ''S'' and are referred to as ''S train'' (Dutch: 'S-trein', French: ''train S'', German: 'S-Züge').<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.flanderstoday.eu/current-affairs/nmbs-releases-details-s-train-express-network|title=NMBS releases details of S-train express network|date=15 September 2015|author=Alan Hope|newspaper=Flanders Today}}</ref> In 2018, local trains of NMBS/SNCB in and around [[Antwerp]], [[Ghent]], [[Liège]] and [[Charleroi]] changed to the train category ''S train'' as well.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.belgiantrain.be:443/nl/travel-info/train-offer/s-train|title=S-trein: Reis eenvoudig door de stad &#124; NMBS|website=Belgiantrain.be|access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref>

=== Czech Republic ===
[[File:Esko Praha logo.svg|30px|left|Czech ''Esko'' logo]]

In the [[Czech Republic]], integrated [[commuter rail]] systems exist in [[Prague]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.expats.cz/prague-metro/prague-train-map/|title=Prague Train Map - Prague, Czech Republic|date=2014-07-14|access-date=2019-05-01}}</ref> and [[Moravian-Silesian Region]]. Both systems are called ''Esko'', which is how ''S'' letter is usually called in Czech. [[Esko Prague]] has been operating since 9 December 2007 as a part of the [[Prague Integrated Transport]] system. [[Esko Moravian-Silesian Region]] began operating on 14 December 2008 as a part of the ODIS Integrated Transport system serving the Moravian-Silesian Region. Both systems are primarily operated by [[České dráhy]]. Several shorter lines are operated by other companies.

=== Denmark ===
[[File:S-tog.svg|30px|left|Copenhagen S-tog logo]]

[[Copenhagen S-train]] connects the city centre, other inner and outer boroughs and suburbs with each other. The average distance between stations is 2.0 [[km]], shorter in the city core and inner boroughs, longer at the end of lines that serve suburbs. Of the 86 stations, 32 are located within the central parts of the city. Some stations are located around 40&nbsp;km from Copenhagen city centre. For this reason the fares vary depending on distances. The one-day passes which the tourists buy are valid only in the most central parts of the S-train system. On weekdays each line has a departure every 10 minutes with the exception of the F-line, on which a train departs every five minutes. Where several lines converge on a common piece of track there could be as many as 30 trains per hour in each direction. On Sundays the seven lines are reduced to four lines, but all stations are served at least every 10 minutes. The three railway stations at [[Amager]] have a local service that is the equivalent of the S-trains.

The [[Copenhagen Metro]] opened in 2002 as a complement to the already existing S-train system. Copenhagen's S-train system is the only one in the country. Outside Denmark, in cities where both exist, is it far from unusual that a metro system later has been complemented with S-trains. The branch towards [[Køge]] (the southernmost S-train station in Copenhagen's S-network) has a rather unique history, as it was built in the 1970s where no previous railway ever had existed.

=== Germany ===
[[File:S-Bahn-Logo.svg|30px|left|German S-Bahn logo]]
[[File:Westbahnhof Hochbahnsteig.jpg|thumb|[[DBAG Class 423]] of [[Rhine-Main S-Bahn]] approaching the [[Elevated railway|elevated section]] of [[Frankfurt West station]]]]

The trains of the Berlin and Hamburg S-Bahn systems ran on separate tracks from the beginning. When other cities started implementing their systems in the 1960s, they mostly had to use the existing intercity rail tracks, and they still more or less use such tracks.

The [[Hauptbahnhof|central intercity stations]] of [[Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof|Frankfurt]], [[Leipzig Hauptbahnhof|Leipzig]], [[München Hauptbahnhof|Munich]] and [[Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof|Stuttgart]] are [[terminal station]]s, so all four cities have monocentric S-Bahn networks. The S-Bahn trains use as their core segment a tunnel under the central station and the city centre (e.g. [[Stammstrecke (Munich S-Bahn)|Munich S-Bahn Stammstrecke]] and the upcoming ''[[Trunk line 2 (Munich S-Bahn)|Zweite Stammstrecke]]'').

The high number of large cities in the [[Ruhr]] area promotes a polycentric network connecting all cities and suburbs. The ''[[Rhein-Ruhr S-Bahn|S-Bahn Rhein-Ruhr]]'', as it is called, features few tunnels, and its routes are longer than those of other networks. The Ruhr S-Bahn is the only S-Bahn network to be run by more than one corporation in Germany, and the [[Salzburg S-Bahn]] holds a similar distinction in Austria. Most Swiss S-Bahn systems are multi-corporation networks, however.

Most German S-Bahn networks have a unique ticket system, separated from the ''[[Deutsche Bahn]]'' rates, instead connected to the city ticket system used for U-bahns and local buses. The S-Bahn of [[Hanover]], however, operates under five different rates due to its large expanse.

One S-Bahn system is no longer in operation: the [[Erfurt S-Bahn]] which operated from 1976 until 1995 and was an {{convert|8.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} single-line diesel-powered system which consisted of four stations from [[Erfurt Central Station]] to Erfurt Berliner Straße station in the then newly built northern suburbs of [[Erfurt]].

There are several S-Bahn or S-Bahn-like systems in planning, such as the [[Augsburg S-Bahn]] ([[:File:S-Bahn Augsburg Liniennetzplan.jpg|network plan]]), the [[Lübeck S-Bahn]] ([[:File:S-Bahn Lübeck.svg|network plan]]) and the tri-country [[Bodensee S-Bahn]].

The [[Stadtbahn Karlsruhe]] (a [[tram-train]] network) uses the green "S" logo for stations in the outskirts and has its lines indicated by an "S" in front of the line number, but does not refer to itself as ''S-Bahn''. The logo also can't be found on the trains, contrary to most other systems where it's placed somewhere on the sides or at the front of the trains. A new city-centre tunnel opened at the end of 2021, however the blue ''[[Rapid transit in Germany#U-Bahn|U-Bahn]]'' logo is not used either for it. To mark those tunnel stations, a yellow U is used, which is unique and can only be found there.

Despite their names, the ''[[Ortenau S-Bahn]]'' ([[Offenburg]]) and the ''[[Danube-Iller Regional S-Bahn]]'' ([[Ulm]]/[[Neu-Ulm]], opened 2020) are [[Regionalbahn]] services.

The following networks are currently in operation:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%"
|- class="hintergrundfarbe5"
! S-Bahn
! Area of Responsibility
! Authority
! Opened
! Lines
! Kilometrage
! class="unsortable" | Rolling Stock
! Company
! Expiry of contract
|-
| [[Berlin S-Bahn]]
| [[Berlin]], <small>[[Potsdam]]</small>
| [[Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg|VBB]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1924
| style="text-align:center;"| 16
| style="text-align:right;"| 331&nbsp;km
| [[BVG Class 480|480]], [[DBAG Class 481|481]]/[[DBAG Class 482|482]], [[DBAG Class 483|483]]/[[DBAG Class 484|484]], [[DR Class 270|485]]
| [[S-Bahn Berlin GmbH]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2017
|-
| [[Breisgau S-Bahn]]
| [[Freiburg im Breisgau]]
| [[Regio-Verkehrsverbund Freiburg|RVF]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1997{{efn-ua|first electric services started 2019.}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 7
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}50&nbsp;km
| [[Alstom Coradia Continental]], [[Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1]]
| [[DB Regio AG]] (electric), [[Südwestdeutsche Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft|SWEG]] (diesel)
| style="text-align:center;"|
|-
| [[Bremen S-Bahn]]
| [[Bremen]], <small>[[Bremerhaven]], [[Oldenburg (Oldenburg)|Oldenburg]]</small>
| [[Verkehrsverbund Bremen/Niedersachsen|VBN]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2010
| style="text-align:center;"| 4
| style="text-align:right;"| 270&nbsp;km
| [[Alstom Coradia Continental]]
| [[NordWestBahn]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2021
|-
| [[Dresden S-Bahn]]
| [[Dresden]]
| [[Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe|VVO]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1992
| style="text-align:center;"| 3
| style="text-align:right;"| 128&nbsp;km
| [[DR Class 243|143]] + [[Doppelstockwagen]], [[Bombardier Traxx#Baureihe 146.0|146.0]] + [[Doppelstockwagen]]
| [[DB Regio Südost]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2027
|-
| [[Hamburg S-Bahn]]
| [[Hamburg]]
| [[Hamburger Verkehrsverbund|HVV]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1934
| style="text-align:center;"| 6
| style="text-align:right;"| 144&nbsp;km
| [[DB Class 472|472]], [[DBAG Class 474|474]], [[DBAG Class 490|490]]
| [[DB Regio AG]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2033
|-
| [[Hannover S-Bahn]]
| [[Hannover]], <small>[[Paderborn]], [[Hildesheim]], [[Minden]]</small>
| [[Großraum-Verkehr Hannover|GVH]], [[Nahverkehrsverbund Paderborn-Höxter|nph]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2000
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 (+ 1)
| style="text-align:right;"| 385&nbsp;km
| [[DBAG Class 424|424]], [[DBAG Class 425|425]]
| [[DB Regio#Region Nord|DB Regio Nord]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2020
|-
| [[Mitteldeutschland S-Bahn]]
| [[Leipzig]], {{nowrap|[[Halle (Saale)]]}}, <small>[[Zwickau]], [[Bitterfeld]], [[Wurzen]], [[Borna, Leipzig|Borna]]</small>
| [[Mitteldeutscher Verkehrsverbund|MDV]], [[Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg|VBB]], [[Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen|VMS]], [[Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe|VVO]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2013{{efn-ua|originally established as two unconnected systems in 1969, connected in 2004 and substantially enlarged in 2013.}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 10
| style="text-align:right;"| 802&nbsp;km<!--ohne Berücksichtigung Dessau-Magdeburg als RB <-> S2-->
| [[Bombardier Talent 2]], [[DR-Baureihe 243|143]] + [[Doppelstockwagen]]
| [[DB Regio Südost]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2025/2030
|-
| [[Mittelelbe S-Bahn]]
| [[Magdeburg]]
| [[Magdeburger Regionalverkehrsverbund|marego]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1974
| style="text-align:center;"| 1
| style="text-align:right;"| 130&nbsp;km
| [[DBAG Class 425|425]]
| [[DB Regio Südost]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2028
|-
| [[Munich S-Bahn]]
| [[Munich]]
| [[Münchner Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund|MVV]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1972
| style="text-align:center;"| 8
| style="text-align:right;"| 434&nbsp;km
| [[DBAG Class 423|423]], [[DB Class 420|420]]
| [[DB Regio AG]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2017
|-
| [[Nürnberg S-Bahn]]
| [[Nürnberg]], <small>[[Ansbach]], [[Bamberg]], [[Erlangen]], [[Fürth]], [[Schwabach]]</small>
| [[Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg|VGN]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1987
| style="text-align:center;"| 6
| style="text-align:right;"| 320&nbsp;km
| [[DBAG Class 425|425]], [[Alstom Coradia Continental|Coradia Continental]], [[Bombardier Talent 2|Talent 2]]
| [[DB Regio Bayern]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2030
|-
| [[Ortenau-S-Bahn]]
| [[Offenburg]], <small>[[Straßburg]]</small>
| [[Tarifverbund Ortenau|TGO]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1998
| style="text-align:center;"| 4
| style="text-align:right;"| 170&nbsp;km
| [[Stadler Regio-Shuttle RS1]]
| [[Südwestdeutsche Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft|SWEG]]
| style="text-align:center;"|
|-
| [[Rhine-Main S-Bahn]]
| [[Frankfurt am Main]], <small>[[Wiesbaden]], [[Mainz]], [[Darmstadt]], [[Offenbach am Main]]</small>
| [[Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund|RMV]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1978
| style="text-align:center;"| 9
| style="text-align:right;"| 303&nbsp;km
| [[DBAG Class 423|423]], [[DBAG Class 430|430]]
| [[DB Regio AG]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2029,<br /> 2036
|-
| [[RheinNeckar S-Bahn]]
| [[Mannheim]], <small>[[Karlsruhe]], [[Ludwigshafen am Rhein]], [[Heidelberg]], [[Kaiserslautern]]</small>
| [[Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar|VRN]], [[Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund|KVV]], [[Heilbronner Hohenloher Haller Nahverkehr|HNV]], <small>[[Saarländischer Verkehrsverbund|saarVV]]</small>
| style="text-align:center;"| 2003
| style="text-align:center;"| 7
| style="text-align:right;"| 603 km
| [[DBAG Class 425|425]], [[Siemens Mireo]]
| [[DB Regio Südwest]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2017,<br /> 2033
|-
| [[Rhein-Ruhr S-Bahn]]<br />''([[Ruhrschnellverkehr]])''<br />[[S-Bahn Köln]]
| [[Ruhrgebiet]] <small>(esp. [[Duisburg]], [[Essen]], [[Bochum]], [[Dortmund]])</small><br /><!--
-->[[Rheinland]] <small>([[Köln]], [[Düsseldorf]], [[Wuppertal]], [[Bonn]])</small>
| [[Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr|VRR]]<br /><br />[[Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg|VRS]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1967<br />''(1932)''<br />1975
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
| style="text-align:right;"| 717&nbsp;km
| [[DB Class 420|420]], [[DBAG Class 422|422]], [[DBAG Class 423|423]], 424, Stadler Flirt 3XL, [[Bombardier Talent]], [[Alstom Coradia LINT]], [[Alstom Coradia Continental]], [[Integral (train)|Integral]]
| [[DB Regio NRW]], [[Regiobahn GmbH|Regiobahn]], [[Abellio Rail NRW]]
| style="text-align:center;"|
|-
| [[Rostock S-Bahn]]
| [[Rostock]]
| [[Verkehrsverbund Warnow|VVW]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1974
| style="text-align:center;"| 3
| style="text-align:right;"| {{0}}91&nbsp;km
| [[Bombardier Talent 2]]
| [[DB Regio#Region Nordost|DB Regio Nordost]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2024
|-
| [[Stuttgart S-Bahn]]
| [[Stuttgart]], <small>[[Waiblingen]], [[Esslingen am Neckar|Esslingen]], [[Ludwigsburg]], [[Böblingen]]</small>
| [[Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart|VVS]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 1978
| style="text-align:center;"| 7
| style="text-align:right;"| 215&nbsp;km
| [[DBAG Class 423|423]], [[DBAG Class 430|430]]
| [[DB Regio AG]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 2028
|}

{{notelist-ua}}

=== Liechtenstein ===
[[File:S-BahnFLACH Uebersicht.png|200px|thumb|right|S-Bahn Liechtenstein (currently suspended)]]
The only railway line passing through the [[Principality of Liechtenstein]] is the [[Feldkirch–Buchs railway]] line, which connects with the Austrian rail network in {{rws|Feldkirch}} and with the Swiss network in {{rws|Buchs SG}}. In June 2008, the [[cantons of Switzerland|Swiss canton]] of [[canton of St. Gallen|St. Gallen]], the [[states of Austria|Austrian state]] of [[Vorarlberg]], and the Principality of Liechtenstein signed an agreement for a project to upgrade this line (and the surrounding ones) and to increase the rail traffic. The project, named {{ill|S-Bahn Liechtenstein|de}} was approved by Liechtenstein and Austria in a [[Letter of Intent]] signed in April 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/s-bahn-liechtenstein-to-proceed/56358.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502222520if_/https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/s-bahn-liechtenstein-to-proceed/56358.article |archive-date=2020-05-02 |title=S-Bahn Liechtenstein to proceed}}</ref> and under that plan, it was to be fully realised by 2027 and would have cost an estimated [[Euro|€]]187 million.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221018140814if_/https://www.railjournal.com/infrastructure/austria-and-liechtenstein-to-finance-s-bahn-project/ Austria and Liechtenstein to finance S-Bahn project]</ref> That plan was however rejected by 62.3% of Liechtenstein voters in a referendum on 30 August 2020.<ref name=railwaygazette>{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/voters-reject-liechtenstein-s-bahn-proposal/57265.article |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200921163925if_/https://www.railwaygazette.com/voters-reject-liechtenstein-s-bahn-proposal/57265.article |archive-date=2020-09-21 |title = Voters reject Liechtenstein S-Bahn proposal}}</ref><ref name=ORF>{{cite web |url=https://vorarlberg.orf.at/stories/3064562/ |title=''"Nein" zum Ausbau der S-Bahn Liechtenstein'' |publisher=ORF.at |date=2020-08-30 |access-date=2024-08-25 |language=de}}</ref>

As of the December 2023 timetable change, an S-Bahn service, the S2 of [[Vorarlberg S-Bahn]], operates between [[Feldkirch, Vorarlberg|Feldkirch]] ([[Austria|A]]), [[Schaan]] ([[Liechtenstein|FL]]) and [[Buchs SG]] (CH). There are three operational railway stations in Liechtenstein along the Feldkirch–Buchs line: {{rws|Schaan-Vaduz}} (which serves the capital [[Vaduz]]), {{rws|Forst Hilti}} and {{rws|Nendeln}}. A fourth station, {{rws|Schaanwald}}, was closed in 2013.

=== Switzerland ===
''S-Bahn'' is also used in the [[Swiss German|German-speaking]] part of Switzerland. [[Swiss French]] networks use the term ''[[Réseau Express Régional|RER]]'' with line numbers prefixed with an R, e.g. as R2, except for the [[Léman Express]] in [[Greater Geneva]] that uses the prefix L followed by the line number ("L" for "Léman-Express"), e.g. L2. S-Bahn-style services in the [[Swiss Italian|Italian]] and [[Romansh language|Romansh]] speaking parts of Switzerland also use, like the [[Milan S Lines|Milan suburban system]], the "S" prefix, although in Italian such networks are called ''rete celere'' ({{lit|fast network}}) instead of S-Bahn.

[[File:S-Bahn Bern.svg|23px|left|Berne S-Bahn logo]]
[[File:S-Bahn-Netze Schweiz.png|200px|thumb|right|S-Bahn networks of Swiss urban areas (in 2006)]]
[[File:Rüti - Bahnhof - Kirchenrainstrasse 2010-11-13 14-21-36.JPG|200px|thumb|right|S-Bahn Zurich [[electric multiple unit|EMU]] in [[Rüti ZH|Rüti]]]]
The oldest network in Switzerland is the [[Bern S-Bahn]], which was established in stages from 1974 onward and has adopted the term S-Bahn since 1995. It is also the only one in Switzerland to use a coloured "S" logo. In 1990, the [[Zürich S-Bahn]], went into service. As of 2022, this network comprises 32 services, covering a large area in Switzerland (and parts of southern Germany). Further S-Bahn services were set up in the course of the ''[[Rail 2000|Bahn 2000]]'' initiative in [[Central Switzerland]] (a collaborative network of ''[[Lucerne S-Bahn|S-Bahn Luzern]]'' and ''[[Zug Stadtbahn|Stadtbahn Zug]]''), and [[Eastern Switzerland]] (''[[St. Gallen S-Bahn|S-Bahn St. Gallen]]'').

The ''[[Basel trinational S-Bahn]]'' services the [[Basel metropolitan area]], thus providing cross-border transportation into both France and Germany. A tunnel connecting [[Basel]]'s two large intercity stations ([[Basel Badischer Bahnhof]] and [[Basel SBB railway station|Basel SBB]]) is planned as ''[[Herzstück Basel|Herzstück Regio-S-Bahn Basel]]'' (lit. heart-piece Regio-S-Bahn Basel).

An international S-Bahn network also existsts across the [[Swiss-Italian border]], in the Swiss [[Canton of Ticino]] and the [[States of Italy|Italian state]] of [[Lombardy]]. Services are operated by [[Treni Regionali Ticino Lombardia]] (TILO), a joint venture between Italian railway company [[Trenord]] and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS).

The ''[[RER Vaud]]'' of [[Lausanne]] and the ''[[Léman Express]]'' of [[Geneva]] serve the area around [[Lake Geneva]] (''fr. Lac Léman''). The ''Léman express'' network expands across the [[Swiss-French border]]. It is the largest cross-country S-Bahn network of Europe.<ref>htr.ch: https://www.htr.ch/story/tourismus/einweihungsfeiern-fuer-groesste-grenzueberschreitende-s-bahn-europas-25128.html</ref> ''Léman express'' was launched in December 2019 and is operated by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS) and [[SNCF]].

Another transborder network for the [[Lake Constance]] (''Bodensee'') area, connecting up to four nations, is under discussion. This network would extend across the [[States of Germany|German states]] [[Baden-Württemberg]] and [[Bavaria]], the [[States of Austria|Austrian state]] [[Vorarlberg]], the Principality of [[Liechtenstein]] (''[[S-Bahn FL.A.CH]]''), and the [[Cantons of Switzerland|Swiss cantons]] of [[Appenzell Ausserrhoden]], [[Appenzell Innerrhoden]], [[Canton of Schaffhausen|Schaffhausen]], [[Canton of St. Gallen|St. Gallen]] and [[Thurgau]]. Possible names are ''Bodensee-S-Bahn'' and ''[[Rhine#Switzerland|Alpenrhein]]-Bahn''. Presently, the [[Bodensee S-Bahn]] only operates services around Lake Constance in Austria, Germany and Switzerland (without Liechtenstein).<ref name=railwaygazette/> It includes, among others, the [[S14 (St. Gallen S-Bahn)|S14]] and [[S44 (St. Gallen S-Bahn)|S44]] services of St. Gallen  S-Bahn, which both connect [[Konstanz]] ([[Germany|D]]) with [[Kreuzlingen]] and [[Weinfelden]] ([[Switzerland|CH]]). Since 2022, some [[S7 (St. Gallen S-Bahn)|S7]] services continue from [[Rorschach SG|Rorschach]] (CH) to Bregenz ([[Austria|A]]) and [[Lindau]]-Reutin (D).<ref>{{cite web | title=THURBO FahrplanNetzkarte 2023 | url=https://www.thurbo.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/2023_Liniennetzplan_Zuerich_Ostschweiz_Bodensee.pdf | date=11 December 2022 | access-date=12 December 2022 | publisher=[[THURBO]]}}</ref> Additional transborder services are planned.

The [[Chur S-Bahn]] provides services around [[Chur]], the capital of the alpine [[Cantons of Switzerland|Canton]] of [[Graubünden]] (Grisons) in south-eastern Switzerland.

The [[Aargau S-Bahn]] is a small network that services stations in the cantons of [[Canton of Aargau|Aargau]], [[Canton of Luzern|Lucerne]] and [[Canton Bern|Bern]].

The ''[[RER Fribourg]]'' is an S-Bahn-style service centered at [[Fribourg/Freiburg]] and [[Bulle FR|Bulle]] in the [[Canton of Fribourg]], and extending into the cantons of [[Canton of Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]] and [[Vaud]].

Two unnumbered S-Bahn services (designated only with an "S"), one between [[Schaffhausen]] and [[Erzingen]] (D), running on railway tracks owned by [[Deutsche Bahn]] (DB), and one between Schaffhausen and [[Jestetten]] (D), opened in 2013. They are operated by [[SBB GmbH]] and [[THURBO]], respectively. Since December 2022, the Schaffhausen–[[Singen am Hohentwiel]] line is also serviced by SBB GmbH<ref>SBB GmbH website: https://www.sbb-deutschland.de/strecken-und-tarife/s-bahn-schaffhausen/</ref> As of the December 2023 timetable change, the three services of [[Schaffhausen S-Bahn]] are numbered S62, S64 and S65.

Additionally, there are services designated "S" that are not part of any formal S-Bahn network. These include the S20, S21, and S22 operated by Swiss Federal Railways in [[canton of Solothurn|Solothurn]] or the [[S27 (Südostbahn)|S27]] operated by Südostbahn (SOB) between [[Siebnen-Wangen railway station|Siebnen-Wangen]] and [[Ziegelbrücke railway station|Ziegelbrücke]].

Swiss S-Bahn services are operated mostly by the [[Swiss Federal Railways]] (SBB CFF FFS) but also by private railway companies, such as ''[[Appenzeller Bahnen]]'' (AB), [[BLS AG]], ''[[Forchbahn]]'' (FB), ''[[Regionalverkehr Bern-Solothurn]]'' (RBS), ''[[Rhätische Bahn]]'' (RhB), ''[[Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn]]'' (SZU), ''[[Südostbahn]]'' (SOB) or ''[[Zentralbahn]]'' (ZB).

[[Rail transport in Switzerland]], including S-Bahn systems, is noteworthy for its coordination between services due to the [[clock-face schedule]]. Due to the proximity of the various S-Bahn systems in Switzerland, services of one network often offer connections to services of neighboring networks. S-Bahn services are used by [[commuters]] and [[tourists]] (some services call nearby tourist attractions, such as the [[Rhine Falls]] or the [[Swiss Museum of Transport]]).

== See also ==
* [[Commuter rail]]
* [[List of suburban and commuter rail systems]]
* [[Train categories in Europe]]
* [[U-Bahn]]
* [[Urban rail transit]]

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{S-Bahn systems in Germany}}
{{S-Bahn systems in Austria}}
{{S-Bahn systems in Switzerland}}

[[Category:S-Bahn| ]]
[[Category:Rapid transit in Germany|*]]
[[Category:Regional rail in Germany|*]]
[[Category:S-Bahn in Austria|*]]
[[Category:Rapid transit in Switzerland|*]]