Cologne Hauptbahnhof to close until November 24

One of Germany’s largest transport hubs, Cologne Hauptbahnhof, will be closed to regional and long-distance trains from 9pm on November 14 until 5am on November 24.

Cologne station closes to regional and long-distance trains

Passengers on regional and long-distance trains that typically travel through Cologne Hauptbahnhof should expect journey disruptions from 9pm today until 5am on November 24. 

S-Bahn services will continue to operate at the station over the coming 10 days, apart from on the evening of November 19 and the morning of November 20. On the days when the S-Bahn is operating, passengers should nevertheless prepare for potential delays.

Initially, plans were made to close the central station for 10 days to install a new electronic signal box and track switches. However, according to the dpa, the signal box cannot be installed due to a software error. The press agency said the closure will go ahead, and passengers should expect another major closure in the near future.

The station in Cologne is one of the largest rail hubs in Germany. According to Deutsche Bahn, when service capacity is at 100 percent there are around 1.300 train movements at the station every day.

Which services are affected by the Cologne Hauptbahnhof closure?

All regional and long-distance train services that pass through Cologne Hauptbahnhof are affected by the 10-day closure.

The long-distance (ICE and IC) trains that typically pass through the central station will be diverted via the stations Cologne-Ehrenfeld or Cologne Messe/Deutz. 

ICE trains to Aachen and Brussels will depart from Cologne-Ehrenfeld. ICE and IC trains to Amsterdam, Berlin, Frankfurt, Bremen and Hamburg will depart from Cologne Messe/Deutz, but services will be more limited than normal.

The direct trains from Cologne Messe/Deutz to Berlin will depart twice per hour, but other trains to Berlin will not run. Direct connections will continue as normal from nearby Düsseldorf to Berlin, and passengers travelling from Cologne Messe/Deutz on November 15 will have to transfer at Düsseldorf.

Only trains between Cologne Messe/Deutz and Frankfurt via the high-speed line will run; slower connections will not run. ICE and IC trains to Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz will run on a reduced schedule, and IC trains to Gera and Dresden will only run from Dortmund.

Regional trains affected include the RE1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 22, 24, 26, 27, 38, and 48. Passengers should check the Deutsche Bahn website or app for more information about diversions.