South Line (Denmark)

The original Zealand South Line was completed for the privately owned Zealand Railway Company () and opened on 4 October 1870. It connected (and thus Copenhagen via the West Line) with on the south coast of Zealand via , and . In 1880, the Zealand Railway Company was taken over by the Danish state, and in 1885 became part of the national railway company DSB. After the opening of the Ringsted-Næstved Line in 1924, most trains between Copenhagen and South Zealand used the route via instead of the original route via . The rump section between and via became known as the Little South Line (). On 26 September 1937, at the opening of the Storstrøm Bridge that crosses the Storstrømmen strait between the islands of Masnedø and Falster, the South Line was connected directly with Falster, the Falster Railway and the rest of the rail network in Lolland-Falster. == Future developments ==

under construction The line is being upgraded to ERTMS, (Køge-)Næstved-Nykøbing in 2021, and the rest in 2028. Furthermore, 55 km of new tracks are being laid, to smooth out curves, allowing for when done. These works are expected to finish in 2021. Afterwards, the line will be electrified, slated for partial introduction in 2024, and completion all the way in 2027 when a new Storstrøm Bridge will open. The railway Nykøbing–Rødby will be in operation only when the Fehmarn Belt Tunnel is opened around 2029. ==Route==

Between Copenhagen and Næstved there are four routes that trains can use: • over and • over and • over and (as of 2023 most used) • over and ==Stations==

Stations with passenger stops from Ringsted and southbound are: • • • • • • • • • , was closed for traffic 2021 • , will open for traffic 2029 ==References==