Cologne Central Station: Massive diversions and bus traffic in the high phase

<p> <strong> Cologne Central Station: Massive diversions and bus traffic in the high phase </strong> </p>

Construction work: difficult time for commuters: Hardly a train

The Cologne main station will be the focus of considerable renovation measures in the coming weeks, which will lead to significant impairments for commuters and travelers. Due to the commissioning of a new electronic signal box, almost all trains are diverted from Friday evening to Monday morning or replaced by replacement buses. This mainly affects regional traffic, while some long-distance traffic connections, such as the ICE sprinters from Bonn to Berlin, are completely.

The complete decommissioning of rail traffic between Cologne and Koblenz on the left side of the Rhine is one of the largest closures in Cologne. The connections to Euskirchen and Aachen must also be set during this time. On the right side of the Rhine, however, the train connection remains open, which offers travelers some options.

The construction work is expected to last over a period of two and a half weeks, which is a significant challenge for the most visited train station in North Rhine-Westphalia. Around 180,000 travelers use Cologne Central Station every day. Marcel Winter, Managing Director of GO.Rheinland, pointed out that everyone involved is aware of the challenges that bring these changes for passengers.

over 100 buses replace regional trains

In order to continue transporting passengers during the construction phase, a fleet of over 100 buses is used. These rail replacement buses will be available for several regional express and regional train lines as well as S-Bahn connections. In total, the buses are to cover around 700,000 kilometers during the construction work, which is a significant logistical challenge.

The measures are not only necessary to secure the existing infrastructure, but also to improve future operating processes. In this way, last work on the new "Linker Rhein" signal box is carried out during the closure. In the long term, improved technology should lead to trains in the Köln maker to be able to run more flexibly and more reliably. The total costs for these infrastructural improvements amount to 360 million euros.