Passengers in turmoil: massive closures of the S-Bahn and regional railway 2026!

Passengers in turmoil: massive closures of the S-Bahn and regional railway 2026!

A central topic of transport policy in the region is currently the complete blocking of the S-Bahn line S 11 and the regional railway line RB 25, which starts both passengers and local politics. The Pro Bahn Rhineland passenger association has sharply criticized the announced closures and demands a Rethink of plans because the need for the measures should be questioned. The blocking of the S 11 between Cologne-Mülheim and Bergisch Gladbach is planned from April 10 to July 3, 2026, which is not justified according to Pro Bahn, since the operation of a new switch only requires a full closure for two days, while the bridge construction work is planning that should be realized after 2030, as the Cologne city-indicator reports.

But that's not all: the regional railway 25 is also taken out for three months due to the bridge renewal in Hoffsthal. This comes to a long list of disorders that exist since July 2022, since the route between Cologne and Gummersbach is not continuously accessible. The Pro Bahn connects to those responsible to take back the closures and to rely on a sustainable concept for maintaining the connections.

political backing and inquiries

In the debate about the rail connections, the CDU and the Greens in the district council also support the claims of the passenger association. They require clear construction site plans, a reliable communication to reversal and fundamental planning that has the needs of users in mind. One concern that the Pro Bahn Rhineland also wants to give more weight is the improvement of construction site communication, which is currently inadequate from the perspective of passengers.

In a statement, the association emphasizes that security aspects must also be observed in addition to the current plans. For example, the non-covered staircase to the KVB tunnel represents a danger in smoothness or snow.

rights of passengers

What to do if the train comes a little later? This is where the legal provisions for passengers come into play, which are based on the rail exemption law. Among other things, this regulates that passengers can get 25 percent of the fare in the event of delays of at least 60 minutes - even 50 percent with more than 120 minutes. In addition, users should be informed about their passenger rights at rail replacement (SEV), which in turn could improve communication, according to Pro Bahn eba report.

The overall persistent disorders and the planning of complete closures clearly illustrate: In the local public transport of the region, more attention should be paid to a reliable infrastructure and well -thought -out management. After all, it is ultimately the passengers who suffer from the measures.

For Cologne's traffic policy, an important phase begins in which the needs of passengers must be clearly the focus. If those responsible to develop a coordinated concept, it will be shown whether commuting between the cities can continue to remain a pleasant experience in the future.