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Stadtbahn line 18: Restrictions due to construction work at Wiener Platz!
From June 14, 2025, light rail line 18 in Cologne on the right bank of the Rhine will be restricted due to track construction work. Replacement buses available.
Stadtbahn line 18: Restrictions due to construction work at Wiener Platz!
The anticipation of summer is palpable in Cologne, but at the same time it will not be easy for commuters to adapt to the new traffic situations from June 14th. From this date, light rail line 18 will be shortened on the section on the right bank of the Rhine ksta.de reported. The reason for the restrictions is track construction work at Wiener Platz, which will last until July 13th. The trains will only run between “Thielenbruch” and “Buchheim Herler Straße”.
For the route between Buchheim and Wiener Platz, local public transport is supported by the replacement bus 113, which runs every ten minutes. The journey time from Buchheim to Wiener Platz is around 13 minutes. On the way back, commuters take around eight minutes. In the future, the delayed construction work on the Mülheim Bridge could impact the entire traffic planning. How 24rhein.de added, the renovation costs of the Mülheim Bridge are expected to rise to 302 million euros, which exceeds the previously calculated 164 million euros. This work will be delayed until 2026.
Rehabilitation and traffic adjustments
The Mülheim Bridge has been under renovation for years, a process that is now taking longer than originally planned. This extensive work, which began three years ago, has already led to traffic delays on several occasions. The Cologne City Council is expected to approve the additional cost estimate in May.
The Kölner Verkehrs-betriebe (KVB) lines are particularly affected by the construction work, especially line 18. The use of replacement bus lines, such as bus 118, which connects the two sides of the Rhine between Wiener Platz and Neusser Straße, will continue. But rerouting bus 118 is not possible because the bridge renovation is being funded by the federal and state governments of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Progress and challenges
On March 18, 2025, the city administration informed the transport committee about the progress of the construction work. Numerous works have already been completed in the second construction phase in the light rail area. The tracks have been laid across the entire bridge, but they still need to be attached and adjusted before they can be put into operation.
However, the cracks in the end cross members, which now pose no threat to stability, are observed daily and carefully analyzed. The affected bearings must first be repaired before the actual light rail tracks can be installed. A reliable date for recommissioning remains uncertain at this time.
Commuters from Sülz to Dellbrück have to adapt to changing routes. After taking Stadtbahn 18 to Ebertplatz, you have to change to bus 118, then get back to line 113 to Wiener Platz and finally change again to Stadtbahn 18. It won't be easy, but the city and the KVB are doing everything they can to make the changeover as smooth as possible. In the meantime, the rail replacement service will remain secured until it is finally put into operation in order to continue to enable Cologne residents to be mobile.