Bahn chaos in Cologne and Bonn: Collection hits commuters hard!

Bahn chaos in Cologne and Bonn: Collection hits commuters hard!

From Friday evening, May 2, 2025, the railway node between Cologne and Bonn is completely closed for two weeks. This project affects hundreds of thousands of commuters in the Rhineland and leads to massive restrictions on train traffic, especially for connections between Aachen, Cologne and Bonn. The blocking was announced as a necessary step in the modernization of the signal boxes and the commissioning of a new electronic signal box as well as the entire improvement of the rail infrastructure. Over 100 signals must be installed on the tracks, while old systems are broken down. Around 400 kilometers of cables and 200 new signals were already laid in previous construction phases, reports Tagesschau .

The effects of the blocking are far -reaching. The ICES that begin or end in Aachen are particularly affected. Many regional connections are also limited. Affected routes include:

• Cologne Hbf - Horrem: Re 1 (RRX), RE 8, RE 9, RB 27, RB 38, S 12, S 19
• Cologne Hbf - Koblenz Hbf: RE 5 (RRX), RB 26, RB 48
• Bonn - Walporzheim: RB 30
• Cologne Hbf - Euskirchen: RE 12, RE 22, RB 24
• Euskirchen - Bonn: S 23
• Remagen - Walporzheim: RB 39
• Düren - Euskirchen: RB 28

Deutsche Bahn provides a rail replacement traffic by bus for this period and informs travelers about changes on their website and on train information.

displeasure among commuters

The reactions of the commuters are mostly negative. A train customer from Bonn describes the situation as a "catastrophe". Commuters who have to travel from Bonn to Solingen every day are particularly affected, which requires additional bypasses in Cologne. These restrictions lead to great dissatisfaction and show how important a reliable rail infrastructure is for the people in the region, so wdr .

The completion of the current construction measures and the commissioning of the new signal boxes are planned for May 19, 2025. Nevertheless, there are already views of further restrictions: At the end of 2025, a new full closure is expected to put the new electronic signal box "Cologne Hbf" into operation.

investments in the future

These modernization measures are part of a comprehensive renovation program of Deutsche Bahn, which will provide a total of 53 billion euros by the end of 2027. Of these, 8 billion euros are scheduled for general renovations, while 26 billion euros should flow in measures outside the large corridors. As part of this initiative, the classic maintenance is intensified, and it is planned to invest 5 billion euros annually from 2025 to 2027 annually in the infrastructure, which almost corresponds to a doubling compared to 2020 Deutsche Bahn . These measures aim to renovate the existing infrastructure, to modernize high -performance corridors and to switch the signal box to modern technology.

The effects of the current and planned construction work are an expression of the urgently needed renewal within the German rail network in order to increase capacity and improve the reliability of traffic. Despite the inconveniences for the commuters, experts hope that these measures will have a positive effect on mobility in the region in the long term.