Overview
- External experts found a software error that blocks crucial acceptance tests, so the new electronic interlocking at Köln Hauptbahnhof cannot be commissioned now.
- DB will keep the old interlocking in service and says a second full closure will be needed to switch over, with 2025 ruled out and a spring 2026 window under review.
- Any rescheduled shutdown must be coordinated with a separate five‑month renovation of the Köln–Wuppertal–Hagen corridor starting in February 2026, raising the risk of compounded disruption.
- The confirmed 10‑day closure from 14 November 21:00 to 24 November 05:00 removes long‑distance and regional stops at the central station, rerouting many ICE and regional trains to Köln‑Ehrenfeld or Köln Messe/Deutz or diverting them entirely.
- S‑Bahn services continue to serve the central station because they run from a different interlocking, while DB completes physical works such as switches, signals and overhead lines.