Cologne main station closed for two weeks - travelers have to change!

Cologne main station closed for two weeks - travelers have to change!

From today, May 3, 2025, Cologne Central Station is largely closed for over two weeks. This affects not only regional traffic, but also long -distance transport. According to Bahnblogstelle , the ICE sprinters between Bonn and Berlin are completely challenged, which places many travelers with a significant challenge. The blocking, which lasts until Monday, May 19, at 5 a.m., was necessary due to the commissioning of a new electronic signal box.

The Cologne Central Station, which is known as the most visited train station in North Rhine-Westphalia and has around 180,000 travelers every day, is severely impaired by the measure. In particular, the railway lines from Cologne to Bonn and Koblenz are not accessible during the closure, which leads to a massive interruption of train traffic. This situation has far-reaching consequences for commuters and travelers. TAG24 reports that six regional expression lines and several S-Bahn lines cannot drive over the main train station.

diversions and replacement traffic

As a result of the blocking, many passengers are forced to interrupt their trips and switch into buses. Deutsche Bahn has already taken measures to help those concerned by setting up by transitions at several train stations. Train connections between Cologne and Aachen as well as between Cologne and Euskirchen are also interrupted, which means that commuters who rely on these routes have to make considerable changes.

In addition, trains to Brussels are diverted via Krefeld, while some ICE and IC trains continue to drive over the right side of the Rhine. However, normal operation on the connection between Hamburg and Bremen and Cologne is without restrictions. These important connections underline the role of Cologne Central Station as a central hub in the German rail network.

The commissioning of the new electronic signal box is necessary to increase the efficiency and safety of rail traffic in the long term, but the short -term effects on travel traffic are significant. This forces many travelers to find flexible solutions and plan their trips accordingly.