Credit: CFL
Luxembourg's railway company, the CFL, has presented details of major engineering works for maintenance or modernisation of the rail infrastructure carried out annually during summertime starting from Saturday 16 July 2022.
Among these projects, work concerns the modernisation and extension of Luxembourg main station (Luxembourg Gare), the cornerstone of the programme to extend and modernise the Luxembourg rail network. The continuation of this work will begin on 16 July, notably provides for the complete reconfiguration of the southern part of the station with the replacement and renewal of tracks, switches, electric traction installations (catenaries and catenary poles) as well as safety installations.
Due to significant delivery delays faced by a supplier for critical components for this project (including LED signals, masts, axle counters, signal cables ansd industrial electronics / computers), work will extend beyond the initially set deadline os 11 September 2022.
This extension of the works will have an impact on the circulation of trains in the Lorraine furrow (line 90) and on the Luxembourg – Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange axis (line 60) until 20 November 2022. In order to maximise the transport offer despite reduced capacity, the CFL, in close collaboration with its neighboring partners, have drawn up adapted timetables which will give priority to maintaining the busiest trains.
All measures are taken to ensure that the work, despite the delivery difficulties experienced by the supplier, is carried out as soon as possible. An additional closure of the Luxembourg – Bettembourg section during the All Saints holidays will allow the work started to be completed.
Adapted hours combined with closing periods
In order to minimise the impact of work-related closures, the complete interruption of traffic on the Luxembourg – Bettembourg section, used both by trains from the Lorraine furrow (line 90) and line 60 (Luxembourg – Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange), will remain limited to three consecutive weeks (from 16 July to 07 August 2022, inclusive) as well as to the All Saints holiday period (29 October – 6 November 2022 inclusive).
Apart from these closing periods and until 20 November 2022, the CFL will resume traffic in the direction of / from the southern part of the Luxembourg station according to timetables adapted to the continuation of the works, thus making it possible to offer as many trains as possible to their customers within the framework of the capacities available during the various phases of work.
The outline of the schedule:
16 July – 28 August 2022: Adaptation of the TGV route
No TGV arrival or departure from Luxembourg main station. All TGVs have their terminus / departure station in Metz or Thionville respectively.
16 July – 7 August 2022: Complete closure of the Luxembourg – Bettembourg section
No trains on the Luxembourg – Bettembourg section during this period. Replacement buses between Luxembourg and Bettembourg, and Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette will be implemented.
8 August – 11 September 2022: Adapted timetables
All the trains of the Lorraine furrow (line 90) will have as departure or terminus at the station of Bettembourg instead of Luxembourg station so that the travelers will have to change train in Bettembourg and use the trains of the axis Luxembourg - Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange (line 60) to complete their journey (journey time extended by an average of ten minutes).
All trains on line 60 (Luxembourg - Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange) will run according to a slightly adapted timetable.
12 September – 29 October 2022
- During peak hours (before 9:00 and after 16:00), circulation according to the usual timetable for TER trains in the Lorraine furrow (line 90)
- During sparse hours (between 9:00 and 16:00), all trains in the Lorraine region (line 90) will have their departure or terminus at Bettembourg station instead of Luxembourg station, so that travelers will have to change trains in Bettembourg station and use the line 60 trains to complete their journey.
29 October – 6 November 2022: Complete closure of the Luxembourg – Bettembourg section
In order to finalise part of the work postponed due to the situation of the shortage of equipment, a complete closure of the Luxembourg – Bettembourg section has been planned for this holiday period, a period of less crowds in terms of travellers.
7 November – 20 Nobvember 2022:
- During peak hours (before 9:00 and after 16:00), circulation according to the usual timetable for TER trains in the Lorraine furrow (line 90)
- During low traffic hours (between 9:00 and 16:00), all trains on line 90 will depart or terminate at Bettembourg station instead of Luxembourg station, so travelers will have to change trains at Bettembourg station and use trains on the Luxembourg – Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange (line 60) to complete their journey.
