Good news for Deutsche Bahn customers: The ICE route between Frankfurt and Cologne, closed for nearly four weeks due to construction, will resume operations on Tuesday, August 13. A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson confirmed to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) that “the work is proceeding as scheduled.”
Since July 16, travelers on this route have faced significant disruptions. Many trains were rerouted, causing delays of 40 to 90 minutes. Stations in Siegburg/Bonn, Montabaur, and Limburg Süd were not served, and a bus replacement service was introduced. Additionally, there were train cancellations.
International travel also faced major disruptions. For example, trains normally running between Amsterdam and Frankfurt had to terminate in Cologne, and connections from Hamburg to Basel no longer stopped in Wiesbaden.
The first train to travel the newly renovated route will be an ICE departing from Cologne at 4:20 a.m. on August 13. This marks a return to normalcy for many commuters.
However, travelers on the Riedbahn line between Frankfurt and Mannheim will need to wait longer, as this route remains closed for approximately five more months. Additional information on the replacement service for the Riedbahn is available here.
