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Massive railway closures in 2026: Travelers in NRW must prepare!
Railway construction sites in NRW 2026: Important information about closures, effects on train traffic and planned modernizations.
Massive railway closures in 2026: Travelers in NRW must prepare!
Train traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia will be put to a tough test in the coming months. Numerous extensive construction sites have been announced for 2026, which could seriously disrupt the timetable. How 24rhine reports, Deutsche Bahn is continuing its large-scale modernization offensive after extensive renovation work was carried out in previous years. Travelers should prepare for numerous route closures, diversions and trip cancellations.
There will be a lot going on on the tracks, especially in the first few months of the year. Several total closures are planned from January to February:
- Hürth-Kalscheuren und Gerolstein: Totalsperrung an Wochenenden vom 9. Januar bis 30. November; Ausfall der Linien RE 12, RE 22 und RB 24.
- Aachen Hauptbahnhof und Rheydt Hauptbahnhof: Totalsperrung vom 9. Januar bis 6. Februar; Ausfall der Linien RE 4, RE 18, RB 20 und RB 33.
- Herzogenrath und Alsdorf Annapark: Totalsperrung vom 9. Januar bis 27. Juni; Ausfall der Linie RB 20.
- Bonn-Mehlem und Remagen: Totalsperrung vom 23. bis 30. Januar; Ausfall der Linien RE 5, RB 26 und RB 30.
- Köln-Mülheim und Hagen Hauptbahnhof: Totalsperrung vom 6. Februar bis 10. Juli; Ausfall der Linien RE 7 und RB 48.
Spring construction and impact on traffic
Spring also brings groundbreaking changes. The route between Dalheim and Mönchengladbach main station will be affected from March 6th to 9th, followed by further closures in April and May. Above all, there are adjustments for Cologne that play a crucial role, such as the total closure between Cologne Hansaring and Gummersbach-Dieringhausen from March 27th to August 7th.
With a view to Cologne station, traffic will also be severely restricted in summer and autumn. From June 5th to 9th, the route between Cologne Messe/Deutz and Cologne/Bonn Airport will be affected, and from September 4th to December 4th, the connection between Cologne-Mülheim and Düsseldorf Central Station will be completely closed. This extensive work goes hand in hand with a trend that was already observed in 2024: one in six trains was canceled, which shows how important the renovations are.
Connection with delays and cancellations
Again WDR As noted, the upcoming construction work is directly related to the already high issue of delays and train cancellations in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2024, major hubs such as Cologne, Düsseldorf and Bonn recorded a shocking delay rate of over 33 percent. The regional and S-Bahn lines were particularly affected. If the situation does not improve, 2026 could be another year with a number of problems for commuters and travelers.
Ultimately, we can only hope that the infrastructure can meet the expectations placed on it and that the modernization does justice to its task. It remains to be seen whether Deutsche Bahn's new timetable, which will come into force at the end of 2025, will bring positive changes. However, the headlines written in advance of the upcoming lockdowns suggest a rocky start to the new year.