Overview
- Long‑distance and most regional services at Köln Hauptbahnhof are suspended until November 24, with only S‑Bahn, U‑Bahn and limited regional trains serving the station.
- Nine of 11 main tracks are closed and about 540 of roughly 1,300 daily connections remain available during the shutdown.
- Long‑distance traffic is rerouted left bank via Köln‑Ehrenfeld and right bank via Köln‑Deutz to keep national services running.
- On‑site staffing and passenger assistance were expanded, and Deutsche Bahn reported calm operations with travelers largely prepared for detours.
- Passenger group Pro Bahn criticized the late software discovery and the lack of immediate benefits for riders, as DB plans a shorter follow‑up closure in spring to complete commissioning; separately, Berlin’s S‑Bahn faces weekend disruptions on ten lines due to interlocking work with bus replacements.