1.7k Fewer Buses to Circulate in Capital as Tram Arrives at Central Station

Luxembourg's Ministry of Mobility and Public Works and the Ville de Luxembourg have presented the foreseen changes to public transport schedules due in part to the tram's arrival at the Central Station (Gare).

During a press conference on Thursday, François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, Patrick Goldschmidt, alderman responsible for mobility, Alex Kies, who is in charge of public transport at the Mobility Ministry, and Lex Bentner, Head of the Bus Service of the City of Luxembourg, presented the main public transport adaptations that will come into force on Sunday 13 December 2020 at both the national level and on the territory of the capital.

This year's national timetable change, which takes place annually at the beginning of December, will be mainly marked by the implementation of part of the reorganisation of the national RGTR bus network, as well as the commissioning of the new section of the tram line to the central station.

Minister François Bausch explained: "Thanks to collaboration with 102 municipalities, we have adapted the network especially in the East, South and Centre regions". He added that from 13 December, "the RGTR network will offer, on many existing lines as well as on new lines, better service on weekends and in the evenings, as well as a general acceleration of scheduled buses [...] and more frequent connections between all regions and to Luxembourg City".

In addition, the arrival of the tram at the central station will see fewer RGTR buses pass through Luxembourg city centre. As well as reducing traffic congestion, this move is expected to make way for the tram and the AVL city buses. The Mobility Minister explained that "with the arrival of the tram at the station, a total of 1,700 buses will no longer pass through the city centre, which will considerably relieve the entire axis".

In Luxembourg City, it was mainly the commissioning of the tramway on the new section that required a restructuring of the AVL bus network. Mayor Lydie Polfer explained that "the tram line will soon form the backbone of the capital's mobility concept and will federate around it a meticulously harmonised network of municipal buses". The possibility of travelling by tram between Luxexpo in Luxembourg-Kirchberg and the central station in 24 minutes will result in the removal of bus routes providing this connection.

RGTR network changes

Four new bus lines will be put into service as part of the reorganisation of the RGTR network:

- Line 105: Junglinster - Ettelbrück (via Diekirch) / partly replaces line 100
- Line 461: Itzig - Howald (via Bonnevoie) / partly replaces line 144
- Line 536: Ettelbrück - Esch-sur-Sûre (via Eschdorf, Merscheid)
- Line 543: Ettelbrück - Consthum (via Bourscheid)

Some bus lines in the direction of Luxembourg City will change their route and get a new terminus: 100 (new terminus: Limpertsberg, Theater); 111 (Kirchberg, Europe Gare routière); 117 (Howald, P+R Sud); 120 (Howald, Ronnebësch); 125 (Kirchberg, Luxexpo); 150 (Howald, Ronnebësch); 157 (Kirchberg, Europe Gare routière); 172 (Gare, Rocade); 194 (Gare, Rocade); 290 (Kirchberg, Rout Bréck-Pafendall).

Other bus lines will also be subject to route changes, often accompanied by schedule changes: 132; 134; 144; 295; 522; 535; 540; 555; 560; 570; 740; 750; 800; 810.

The following bus lines will be subject to schedule changes but their route remains unchanged: 118; 119; 175; 195; 248; 398; 487; 500; 509; 512; 545.

The following bus lines will undergo minor changes: 108; 116; 130; 135; 155; 156; 160; 205; 210; 213; 215; 226; 240; 306; 316; 319; 323; 330; 332; 450; 505; 519; 525; 556; 557; 558; 605; 655; 660; 665; 682.

In addition, the following RGTR school lines will see changes to their stops, routes and / or timetables: 101; 103; 113; 121; 131; 176; 181; 183; 188; 189; 193; 196; 199; 214; 225; 241; 249; 261; 286; 287; 288; 289; 302; 312; 447; 489; 514; 521; 582; 638; 831; 944; 950; 955; 960; 965; 972; 975; 998. RGTR school bus line 971 will be discontinued.

AVL network changes

Adaptations to the Luxembourg City bus network will take into account new public transport offers at the national level, while aligning with the arrival of the tram at the central station. 

The structure of the new municipal bus network is based on four main axes: tram; central station - centre; ring road station - centre; west-east - west-north (without service to the Gare district).

The T1 tram line will become the main axis of public transport in the capital and will replace the Kirchberg - central station link currently provided by lines 1/125 and several RGTR (Eurobus) lines. The terminus (central station) of eight lines (9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19, 28 and 31) will be removed. These lines will still pass by the central station but their respective terminuses will be adapted according to the new route of the line. Whilst no longer a terminus, the central station will remain one of the main stops on the AVL network.

One of the main priorities of the new AVL network will be to keep at least one bus connection between each district of the city and the Gare and / or centre districts. Certain lines (4, 10, 13, 14 and 18) will continue to have a direct connection with the two hypercentres. In order to limit excessive bus traffic on the central station - centre axis, the new network will have new inter-district and intra-district connections, for example a connection from the western districts (Merl, Belair) to the airport via Kirchberg.

From 23 November 2020, Luxembourg City residents will receive the new network map by post for further information on these changes.

New national and international train timetables

Like every year, CFL train schedules will change on the second weekend of December, as will those of other European railway companies. These new changes will apply from midnight on Sunday 13 December 2020. During the week, a new hourly rate will be introduced on the rail line between Luxembourg and Liège.

Details of the new timetables are available at www.cfl.lu as well as in the CFL mobile and CFL International applications.

Tram timetable: Luxexpo - Central Station

From Sunday 13 December 2020, the tram will run according to the following schedule on the Luxexpo - central station route:

- Monday to Saturday: First departure from Luxexpo at 04:30, last departure at midnight; first departure from central station at 04:58, last departure at 00:35; 

- Sundays: First departure from Luxexpo at 05:15, last departure at midnight; first departure from central station at 5:43, last departure at 00.35.