Rail chaos 2026: Millions of commuters affected by months-long closures!

Rail chaos 2026: Millions of commuters affected by months-long closures!

In North Rhine-Westphalia, extensive construction work on rail transport is scheduled for 2026. Deutsche Bahn has announced a comprehensive general renovation of various heavily used routes in order to modernize rail infrastructure and improve the reliability of train traffic. The measures on the Hagen – Wuppertal – Cologne route are a central point of this renovation work.

From February 6, 2026, there will be significant restrictions on this important route, lasting until July 10. The entire period will be characterized by full and partial closures, with the route remaining fully closed to all trains for around a third of the construction period. Various lines are affected, including the IC, ICE and regional trains RE4, RE7, RE13 and many more. During the construction work, the travel time from Wuppertal to Cologne will be extended to around 1.5 hours, and a replacement bus service will be set up to accommodate commuters. The S8 and S9 will continue to be able to operate in parts between Wuppertal and Hagen, but only to a limited extent, as Düsseldorf T-Online reports.

Preparatory work and other construction projects

The first preparatory work will begin on December 26th, 2025 and will last until January 2nd, 2026. This preliminary work includes vegetation measures and explosive ordnance detection, which are necessary to ensure safety during the main construction work. During this phase, commuters must expect diversions and some train connections to be canceled. Specific changes affect the RE4, RE7, RE13 and other lines, where certain stops will be eliminated. Long-distance traffic will also be rerouted during the preparatory work, with ICE trains between Cologne and Dortmund having to use an alternative route via Düsseldorf, which will also lead to longer travel times, as Ruhr24 reported.

But these are not the only construction sites in the region. As part of the comprehensive infrastructure projects, Deutsche Bahn is also carrying out work on the A3 bridge over tracks in Duisburg. Construction work there will begin on January 9th and will last until February 6th, 2026. These measures are part of a major plan that aims to modernize 80 kilometers of track, 28 switches and 30 kilometers of overhead lines in order to increase the efficiency and safety of rail traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Long-term goals of rail modernization

The overall planned projects aim to increase the capacity and reliability of rail transport. An example of this is the modernization of the Cologne junction, where signal boxes are to be made more efficient. Even after the main work is completed in July 2026, some stations are expected to remain under construction, as Deutsche Bahn continues to focus on accessibility and visual upgrades. Together with the renovation of twelve train stations, this comprehensive renovation will help ensure that rail transport in NRW is future-proof, as MS Aktuell highlights.

Travelers and commuters will have to prepare for many changes in the coming months, but the long-term benefits of these projects promise better and more reliable connectivity across the state.