Cologne-Mülheim in danger: RRX stop about to end - citizens protest!

Cologne-Mülheim in danger: RRX stop about to end - citizens protest!

Things are boiling in Cologne-Mülheim. Concerns about the local train station are increasing as there are concerns that the station may be left behind by the new Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX). From 2040 it is planned that the RRX will run every quarter of an hour between Dortmund and Cologne. However, an additional track is required to maintain the stop in Mülheim. The “RRX-Halt in Köln-Mülheim” initiative has been committed to exactly this since 2014 and is fighting to preserve this important stop.

On October 23rd there was another demonstration at the train station, where activists drew attention to the urgency of the matter. Monika Lungmus and Heiner Schwarz, the two heads of the initiative, emphasized how important the stop is for the almost 150,000 people in the Mülheim district as well as for travelers from the neighboring Cologne on the left bank of the Rhine. As already reported by WDR, a loss of the RRX stop could lead to strain on other train stations that are already working at their capacity limits.

Track 0 as a solution

The initiative advocates the introduction of “Track 0”, which should be placed directly next to Track 1. This would allow faster trains to overtake the RRX without disrupting service. This would not only be important for punctuality, but would also increase the overall quality of rail transport in the region.

• Gleis 0 soll schnelleren Zügen (z.B. ICE) das Überholen ermöglichen.
• Benjamin Jeschor, der Pressesprecher von Go Rheinland, hat die Forderung der Initiative ebenfalls unterstützt und betont, dass der Ausbau in die langfristigen Planungen von Bund und Land aufgenommen werden muss.

The RRX route is currently being modernized and the plan is to offer trips every 15 minutes from 2040. This is a significant step in improving regional transport in the Ruhr area and Rhineland in order, among other things, to shift 24,000 to 31,000 car journeys per day from the road to the rail, according to the plan Wikipedia.

Economic impact and significance

The importance of the Cologne-Mülheim train station should not be underestimated. It is a central transfer point for many travelers who need to travel to the city center or other parts of Cologne. If the RRX stop were to be eliminated, passengers would have to switch to the main station or to Deutz, which would mean additional strain on already busy stations. This development could not only severely impact traffic, but also have economic consequences for the region.

The “RRX-Halt in Köln-Mülheim” initiative remains active and plans to intensify its efforts to ensure that the voices of affected citizens are heard and that the station is not lost in the RRX planning. It's all a question of having the right priorities and long-term planning for the future of public transport in Cologne and the surrounding area.