Train services disrupted for over 2 weeks at key Cologne hub

A two-and-a-half-week planned disruption to train services has begun at Cologne Central Station in western Germany, impacting both long-distance and regional routes.

The partial closure which started on Friday evening is necessary for the installation of a new electronic signal box, according to network operator Deutsche Bahn.

High-speed ICE (InterCity Express) sprinter services on the Bonn-Cologne-Berlin route have been fully cancelled. Trains to Brussels are being diverted via the city of Krefeld.

Six regional express lines, six regional railway lines and several suburban railway routes will also be impacted.

However, services connecting Hamburg, Bremen and Cologne will run as normal.

The closure at Cologne is one of the largest transport disruptions in the city's history, according to Deutsche Bahn, with services scheduled to be suspended until May 19.

Cologne Central Station, one of Europe's busiest transport hubs, serves around 180,000 passengers daily. Cologne itself, home to just over 1 million people, has the highest commuter rate in the region.