Rail transport Deutsche Bahn begins refurbishment program

Shortly after the end of the European Football Championship, Deutsche Bahn's largest infrastructure renovation program in decades will begin.

From 11 p.m. on Monday evening, the important railroad line between Frankfurt and Mannheim will be closed for months. The so-called Riedbahn is the first of 41 lines that are to be thoroughly modernized by 2031. In addition, the ICE high-speed line between Cologne and Frankfurt will be closed from Tuesday until mid-August due to construction work - but this is not a general overhaul.

Minister: No reason why general refurbishments should not work

Deutsche Bahn has high hopes for the 41 general overhauls. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) expressed his confidence that the program can succeed. "It is well prepared, the capacities are available in the construction industry, the materials are there. So there is no reason why it shouldn't work," Wissing told Deutschlandfunk radio. The construction industry, for example, has recently expressed doubts that the general renovations will succeed as planned.

The Riedbahn, one of the most important lines in Germany, will be the first to be modernized: More than 300 regional, long-distance and freight trains run there every day - although there has recently been a disruption every day. Tracks, overhead lines, signals and points will be replaced by mid-December. After that, there should be no construction work for several years.

"The Riedbahn is like a clogged artery in an organism. It will now be disconnected, renovated and then the system will function better," said Wissing.

Travel from Cologne to Mannheim particularly difficult

The ICE high-speed line between Cologne and Frankfurt will also be closed for the next four weeks. The route will be closed from Tuesday.

According to Deutsche Bahn, travelers must be prepared for train cancellations and delays of between 40 and 90 minutes until 12 August. As the trains are being rerouted, the Siegburg/Bonn, Montabaur and Limburg Süd stops will be closed. They can be reached by replacement bus services. Over the four weeks, 70 kilometers of track and 13 points are to be renewed along the route.

Deutsche Bahn has enjoyed a bad reputation for years due to its unpunctuality. Wissing criticized the fact that too little money had been invested in their renovation in recent years. This is backed up by new figures from the lobby association Allianz Pro Schiene: according to these figures, per capita investment in rail in Germany in 2023 was 115 euros - just one euro more than in 2022.