Suche
Mein Konto
Large KVB project: New overhead line for the light rail in Niehl!
KVB will renew the overhead line of light rail line 12 in Niehl from June 18 to August 8, 2025, at night without affecting operations.
Large KVB project: New overhead line for the light rail in Niehl!
The Cologne Transport Company (KVB) is continuing its efforts to modernize the light rail network: From Wednesday, June 18th to Friday, August 8th, the overhead line system on light rail line 12 in Niehl will be completely renewed. This important measure affects the section between the “Fordwerke Nord” and “Niehl Nord” stops. The work is well thought out and will only be carried out at night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. so as not to disrupt light rail operations. Old masts are dismantled and new masts and booms are installed, ropes are tensioned and the live contact wire is moved. As rheinische-anzeigenblaetter.de reports, the construction site pauses on the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday in order to avoid possible disruptions.
The light rail line 12 is an important traffic axis in Cologne. It runs over 17 kilometers, connects Zollstock, Nippes and Merkenich with the heart of the city and enables a quick connection to the city center through the ring tunnel. Travelers have numerous transfer options at the Friesenplatz stop, while the Cologne-Hansaring train station even provides a direct connection to the S-Bahn network. According to 24rhein.de, there are comprehensive timetable offers between 27 stops, including important junctions such as Barbarossaplatz and Ebertplatz, which optimally develop the city.
Timetable and vehicles of line 12
Modern low-floor vehicles run on line 12, including the K4000 and K4500 models, which will be supplemented by new Citadis low-floor trains from 2024. Passengers can look forward to a regular service: the line runs every 10 minutes from Monday to Friday, every 20 minutes on Saturday and every 15 minutes on public holidays. This makes line 12 a reliable part of Cologne's local transport, which efficiently integrates not only the city center but also outlying areas.
Historical development
But how is it that the light rail system is so modern today? A look at history shows that the first horse-drawn trams were put into operation in Cologne as early as 1877. From 1968 onwards, the light rail system was continuously expanded. The network today extends over 198 kilometers with 233 stations, as can be found on Wikipedia. The ongoing investments in infrastructure, such as the current renovation in Niehl, are part of a comprehensive modernization of the KVB network, which always wants to adapt to the needs of citizens.
The upcoming work in Niehl is a further step into the future of Cologne's local transport. It will be interesting to see how Line 12 will develop with the new overhead lines and vehicles and how this will improve everyday mobility in Cologne.