Overview
- From Friday evening, November 14, Cologne’s main station is largely closed to long‑distance and regional trains for ten days, with only S‑Bahn services continuing to serve the hub.
- Deutsche Bahn halted the switch‑on of Cologne’s new electronic interlocking after detecting software errors and will use the window for work on points, overhead lines and other assets.
- Many ICE and other long‑distance services are rerouted to Cologne Ehrenfeld or Messe/Deutz, with some trains bypassing the city entirely and passengers advised to check journey planners.
- DB plans to restore the regular timetable by Monday, November 24 at 05:00, with trains still managed by legacy signal boxes until a new commissioning slot is found, potentially in spring 2026.
- Halle Hbf faces major restrictions from Friday 22:00 to Sunday 22:00 and a full closure until Monday 04:00, with replacement buses in local traffic and most long‑distance trains skipping Halle for added stops in Bitterfeld, Leipzig Hbf and Leipzig/Halle Airport.