Overview
- The first weekday under Deutsche Bahn's replacement timetable is underway after a weekend start that the operator said ran smoothly with well-prepared travelers.
- Nine tracks are closed with two still in service at the hub, leaving roughly 540 of 1,300 usual connections available, according to the railway.
- Many ICE services call at Köln-Ehrenfeld or Köln Messe/Deutz instead of the main station, and about a dozen regional lines are diverted.
- Lines such as RE1 and RE5 bypass Cologne entirely, which also means no stops at stations like Leverkusen and Düsseldorf-Benrath on those services.
- Passengers are advised to use S‑Bahn and U‑Bahn links where possible and to consult the online timetable, with a shorter follow-up closure planned in spring to complete the signal box work.