Overview
- A special inauguration train ran Thursday, October 1, marking the ceremonial resumption of passenger services between Leer in Lower Saxony and Groningen after service was halted in 2016.
- Arriva will operate regular regional services starting Monday, October 5, with many journeys initially requiring passengers to change trains at Winschoten while a smaller number of through services will run without transfer.
- The rebuilt Friesenbrücke over the Ems, opened to pedestrians and cyclists in summer 2026 and described by Deutsche Bahn as Europe’s largest railway hub‑rotating bridge, is the key structure that allowed the line to reopen.
- Work on the route was delayed from an earlier target of December 2024 because of repeated heavy rain and poor ground conditions, pushing project costs from an initial estimate of about €180 million to roughly €250 million and prompting criticism from the passenger group Pro Bahn.
- Authorities call the restart a first step toward the Wunderline goal of a direct Bremen–Groningen service that would cut travel times to just over two hours by around 2030, which officials say will benefit commuters, students and regional tourism.