Cologne's turnaround in traffic: Massive construction work meet commuters hard

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rail traffic in Cologne: The greatest blocking measure ever announced

In a historically comprehensive campaign, rail traffic in Cologne is massively restricted. The measures that will be carried out from May 2 to 19, 2025 affect commuters and travelers between Cologne, Bonn and Koblenz as well as neighboring municipalities such as Euskirchen, Horrem and Pulheim.

scope and reasons for the blocking measure

This block is the largest of its kind in the culinary area, as Marcel Winter, managing director of Go.rheinland, explained. The background for these drastic measures is the commissioning of a new electronic signal box. From May 19, four outdated, sometimes over 100 years old signal boxes will replace, which enables modern and more powerful control of train traffic.

consequences for local and long-distance transport

local transport is particularly affected because many regional and S-Bahn lines are affected. Most regional trains and two S-Bahn lines are replaced by buses that have to cover an enormous route of 700,000 kilometers. This leads to considerable travel delays and diversions, which is why all passengers should adjust to long waiting times.

In long -distance transport, Cologne Central Station will only be used to a limited extent. Trains that normally drive on the left bank of the Rhine are diverted to the right side of the Rhine. Some connections, such as the popular ICE sprinters between Bonn and Berlin, have to be completely. Additional loads for commuters will lead to delays and changes in travel.

support and precautions

In order to offer support to the affected travelers during this massive changeover, there will be an increased presence of service staff at various train stations, including Cologne Messe/Deutz Central Station. These will be available in the first few days of the blocking to help with the changes in navigation.

Preparations for this important rail project, which is expected to cost around 360 million euros, have been running for five years. During this time, extensive technical measures were taken, such as the laying of 400 kilometers of cables and the installation of 200 new signals to advance the modernization of the rail system.