Archive
Every rail news update we have published, newest first.
Deutsche Bahn consolidates communications: Five agencies to handle brand, products, social media and PR going forward
Deutsche Bahn is restructuring its agency pool. Following an EU-wide tender with 35 applicants, the group has awarded four lots to five agencies. Jung von Matt is new on board, while Ogilvy, Serviceplan, GUD and fischerAppelt remain – with clearer roles and a long-term orientation running until at least 2029.
After the general refurbishment of the Cologne–Wuppertal–Hagen line: rail traffic remains heavily disrupted by bridge damage and follow-up works
The general refurbishment of the 65-kilometer Cologne–Wuppertal–Hagen line, which has been running since the beginning of February, has been completed, but on the first working day numerous trains are cancelled again. A dilapidated bridge discovered near Opladen forces a single-track clearance; in parallel, S-Bahn tracks remain closed until early September.
Ringbahn in Berlin-Westend fully passable again – new bridge construction over S-Bahn and mainline tracks completed
After a closure since Friday noon, the S41 and S42 trains are running again between Westend and Halensee. The construction of the new A100 bridge over the Ringbahn tracks in Berlin-Charlottenburg is largely completed.
Halle–Nordhausen–Leinefelde rail line closed for months from July 14 – buses replace trains
Due to extensive renovation work, the rail line from Halle via Nordhausen to Leinefelde will be closed in several sections from July 14. Passengers will have to switch to buses in some cases for months and plan for significantly longer travel times.
Hamburg–Hanover rail line reopens: ICE services from Bremen return to normal
After roughly ten weeks of construction work, long-distance services between Hamburg and Hanover are running on schedule again from Saturday. Travelers in Bremen benefit most: ICE connections toward Hanover, Berlin and Frankfurt as well as the regional lines RS 6 and RB 41 return to the regular timetable.
Rail closes Einsal crossing: Months-long full closure with detours and 50 km/h speed limit
From 10 July, DB InfraGO is relocating the Einsal level crossing in Nachrodt-Wiblingwerde by around 17 metres. For traffic, this means months of closures, long-distance detours and new speed limits on the B 236. Passengers on RE 34 and RB 91 lines are also affected by cancellations.
Deutsche Bahn invests 50 million in AI: DB Navigator to deliver real-time info in over 100 languages
Long-distance travel from Frankfurt restricted: ICE trains to Hamburg and Berlin less frequent and taking longer
Due to switch renewal at the Fulda junction, ICE passengers will have to expect diversions, cancellations and up to one hour of additional travel time from mid-July. Regional services are also affected.
Ten-week construction sprint completed: Trains rolling again between Hamburg and Hannover
After intensive renovation of the 163-kilometer route as part of the DB quality offensive, freight trains have been running again since Friday evening (July 10, 2026, 9 p.m.), with local and long-distance services resuming from early Saturday morning. 81 kilometers of track and 44 switches were renewed, and four stations modernized.
Deutsche Bahn plans billion-euro financial buffer for Brenner approach line
For the new line from Munich to the Austrian border, Deutsche Bahn is planning a risk buffer of nearly 7.6 billion euros. The overall project management sees the goal of not having to use the buffer as much as possible.
Right Rhine corridor renovation: Full closure between Troisdorf and Wiesbaden – numerous level crossings closed from July 10
From Thursday, July 10, Deutsche Bahn will carry out extensive renovation work on the right Rhine line between Troisdorf and Wiesbaden. The line will be fully closed until December 12, with significant impacts on level crossings in the Rheingau region.
S-Bahn Berlin: Five lines dead-ended in summer – replacement buses on north-south route, ring line and southeast
During the Berlin summer holidays (10 July to mid/late August 2026), DB InfraGO is bundling construction work in the S-Bahn network. Passengers must expect closures and replacement services on the north-south axis, the southern ring line, the S2 to Bernau, and around Schöneweide.
Signal repair on the Berlin Stadtbahn: S-Bahn lines S3, S5, S7, S75 and S9 delayed
On the early Monday morning (06.07.2026), a signal repair at Bellevue station is causing delays on the Berlin Stadtbahn. The affected lines are S3, S5, S7, S75 and S9; the S3 is currently running only every 20 minutes between Warschauer Straße and Charlottenburg.
Weeks of construction work: Rail lines around Tübingen and Reutlingen severely restricted from mid-July
From mid-July to mid-September, commuters and travelers around Tübingen and Reutlingen will have to expect numerous train cancellations and changed timetables. Deutsche Bahn is renewing tracks, switches and stations – buses are intended to absorb the traffic.
European Sleeper: Brussels–Milan night train to also stop in Breda and Eindhoven from December 2026
From 14 December 2026, a new European Sleeper night train will connect Brussels with Milan, also stopping in Breda and Eindhoven. Passengers from the Netherlands can reach Lake Como from €49.99 in a Classic compartment.
Construction of the Karlsruhe–Basel freight rail line: A5 between Freiburg-Nord and Teningen with narrowed lane configuration from 13 July
Deutsche Bahn is renovating numerous bridges over the A5 in the first construction phase of the new freight rail line between Offenburg, Freiburg and Müllheim. From 13 July 2026, the lanes between the Teningen and Freiburg-Nord interchanges will be shifted outward over 1.3 kilometres – with an 80 km/h speed limit and reduced lane width.
Construction work on new freight rail line: A5 between Freiburg-Nord and Teningen restricted from 6 July
Deutsche Bahn is building a new freight rail line between Offenburg, Freiburg and Müllheim and is renewing bridges over the A5 for this purpose. From 6 July, there will be a changed traffic layout between the Teningen and Freiburg-Nord interchanges – expected to last until mid-September 2026.
European Sleeper to connect London and Milan by night train from 10 September – from EUR 49.99
Travel overnight from London via Brussels directly to Milan with Eurostar and European Sleeper: the new direct connection launches on 10 September 2026, with tickets in a shared Classic compartment available from EUR 49.99 per route.
European Sleeper connects London and Milan from 49.99 euros on a night train
From 10 September, European Sleeper will take travellers on a night train from Brussels via Zurich, Lugano and Lake Como directly to Milan. The transfer from London is conveniently made by Eurostar.
Track damage in Frankfurt: S3, S4 and other S-Bahn lines in the Rhine-Main area massively disrupted
Track damage at Galluswarte and other technical faults caused significant disruption to S-Bahn services in the Rhine-Main area on Monday morning. The S3, S4 and S5 lines were particularly affected, while S1, S2 and S6 also experienced delays and partial cancellations.
Line 751 in Ansbach: roadworks on Schalkhaeuser Strasse extended, Arbeitsamt stop closed until 17 July 2026
Because roadworks on Schalkhaeuser Strasse are continuing, the closure near house number 45 remains in place until 17 July 2026. Line 751 cannot serve the Arbeitsamt stop during this period; passengers should use Herrieder Tor instead.
After signal box failure in Vohwinkel: Wuppertal SPD calls for more reliability from Deutsche Bahn
After another failure of the Vohwinkel signal box, Wuppertal's SPD council group is pressing for consequences and faster modernization of rail infrastructure. Commuters, pupils and other travelers were affected for days by cancellations and limited replacement buses.
Leipzig-Möckern S-Bahn station: Staircase access reopened after around two years of construction
After roughly two years of construction, Deutsche Bahn has completed the renewal of the staircase access at Leipzig-Möckern S-Bahn station. Passengers can once again reach platform 1 via Georg-Schumann-Straße; the complex slope stabilization work has also been completed.
Markranstädt station: Elevator construction starts – replacement service from July 3 to November 6
Deutsche Bahn is starting construction of an elevator at Markranstädt station for barrier-free access to platform 1/2. During the construction work, the station will not be served Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. – the S 6 will run replacement buses between Leipzig-Miltitz and Markranstädt.