Overview
- Deutsche Bahn says the Cologne blockade that began Friday evening is running smoothly, with nine of eleven tracks closed and access to the main station limited to S‑Bahn, U‑Bahn and some regional services until November 24 at 05:00.
- Long‑distance services bypass Cologne Hbf via Köln‑Ehrenfeld on the left bank and Köln‑Deutz on the right bank, with about 540 of the usual 1,300 daily connections maintained during the closure.
- The planned commissioning of Cologne’s new signal system has been postponed to spring due to software errors, which will require an additional, shorter shutdown to complete the switchover.
- Halle Hbf is undergoing a weekend software update to integrate new switches and tracks, sending ICE trains via Leipzig, canceling most regional and some S‑Bahn services, and imposing a full closure from Sunday 22:00 to Monday 04:00.
- Standard passenger‑rights rules apply for delays of 60 minutes or more with compensation at 25% then 50% from 120 minutes, though the Germanyticket is excluded.