From November 1, the German rail line running between Oberhausen-Emmerich and the Dutch border will close for construction work, which is expected to last 80 weeks. Here’s what the disruption means for rail passengers.

Construction begins on Oberhausen-Emmerich rail line

Deutsche Bahn has closed the rail line between Oberhausen and Emmerich, which runs through North Rhine-Westphalia to and from the Netherlands, as part of a widespread renovation project.

The 73-kilometre stretch between Oberhausen and Emmerich is part of a longer 1.300-kilometre freight route expanded in the 1990s by Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland to connect southern and northern European ports and major cities.

Construction will expand the route once more. Deutsche Bahn has announced that by 2026, a third track will be added, 47 bridges will be renovated, 38 new bridges will be built and noise reduction technology will be improved along the route. 12 of the 15 train stations will be renovated and disabled access will be improved, among other developments.

What does the Oberhausen-Emmerich line closure mean for rail passengers?

Starting November 1, the rail line will be partially or entirely closed for around 18 months. The closure will cause significant disruptions for commuters and regional train routes.

For two-thirds of these 18 months, the route will be partially closed, meaning a single track will be open and trains can only travel in one direction at a time, causing delays and restrictions.

The route will be entirely closed on the following dates; November 1 to 24, November 30 to December 1 and December 7 to December 8, 2024. When the route is entirely closed, passengers and commuters using the RE5, RE8, RE13, RE19, RE44 and RE49 regional trains will have to take replacement bus services.

The route closure will also affect long-distance trains between Cologne and the Netherlands, and night trains between Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. Long-distance train re-routing means passengers should expect the journey to be slightly longer.

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