Train chaos 2026: NRW is threatened with construction sites and major delays!

Train chaos 2026: NRW is threatened with construction sites and major delays!

In 2026, rail traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) will be severely restricted. The numerous planned construction sites make it difficult for travelers to reach their destinations on time. Loud calf Werner Lübberink, representative of Deutsche Bahn in North Rhine-Westphalia, speaks of the “banana of horror” – a reference to the serious restrictions that passengers will face.

According to Lübberink, a significant proportion of the delays in long-distance transport are due to the overloaded route between Dortmund, Duisburg and Cologne. The general renovation of the route between Cologne and Hagen, which will take place from February 6th to July 10th, 2026, will further aggravate the situation. During this period, many long-distance trains will be rerouted via Düsseldorf and the Ruhr area.

Large construction sites and their effects

Deutsche Bahn has announced a number of large construction projects for 2026. These not only affect long-distance routes, but also local transport. In the first half of the year, extensive renovation work is planned between Hagen, Wuppertal and Cologne, which will also have a major impact on regional trains. Replacement buses are used for affected lines, such as RE 4, RE 7 and several S-Bahn trains, but these often have longer journey times, like this stern.de reported.

Another important project is the general renovation between Troisdorf and Unkel, which will begin on July 10, 2026 and should be completed by December 11, 2026. Here too, travelers must expect diversions. Additional work on switches and signal boxes between Düsseldorf and Cologne is also planned for late summer and autumn 2026, which will further jeopardize punctuality.

Consequences for local transport

The situation also has an impact on local rail passenger transport (SPNV) in Westphalia-Lippe. Christine Auffermann, managing director of the Westphalia-Lippe local transport association, warns of a possible standstill of local rail transport and announces the “SPNV under pressure” initiative. This initiative is intended to find solutions to the upcoming mobility problems deutschebahn.com.

The constant congestion could also affect the quality of local transport, especially in rural areas. In order to improve the situation, an acute shortage of staff was pointed out. In 2024, one in 20 trains was canceled, which increased the pressure on transport companies.

Important closures

Especially at the beginning of 2026, there will be a closure of the Duisburg to Essen route, which is scheduled to be completed between January 9th and February 6th. This measure is a result of the motorway work at the Kaiserberg junction.
This and other planned total closures, such as on the Emmerich – Oberhausen route, will ensure that rail operations as a whole are severely restricted.

For travelers this means that they have to be prepared for many diversions and longer travel times. Although the railway advertises improvements and an expansion of services on the S-Bahn and regional train lines, the many construction sites and diversions seem to overshadow the real progress.