German train travellers to face 80 weeks of construction disruptions

Travellers using rail connections from western Germany to the Netherlands will face prolonged disruptions to services starting on Friday due to work on a major new EU freight corridor, reported dpa.

The line from Oberhausen in the Ruhr region via Emmerich to the Netherlands will not be passable at all or only to a limited extent, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn announced.

The "unprecedented volume of construction" is expected to last until May 17, 2026, the company said.

From the start of next month, this will affect commuters as well as long-distance traffic and industry along the key route.

The construction work is part of a prestige project for European freight transport.

The approximately 73-kilometre section is part of the European freight corridor from the North Sea port of Rotterdam to Genoa on the Mediterranean, a flagship project for EU transport policy.

"What we are planning here in the construction phase from November is unique in the history of the expansion project," said project manager Stefan Ventzke.

During the next 80 weeks, the line will be single-track for two thirds of the time, which will still lead to restrictions.

The section will be fully closed from Friday until November 24. Long-distance trains between Cologne and the Netherlands will be rerouted and therefore take longer.

Companies in the region will not be able to use goods trains for their logistics during this time.