Credit: CFL

Luxembourg's national railway company, the CFL, has announced that rail traffic will be impacted by two major periods of rail improvement works from July to September 2024.

As announced at a press conference held on 30 January 2024, rail traffic on the Luxembourg – Esch/Alzette – Rodange and Luxembourg – Bettembourg – Thionville lines will be impacted by various works during the summer period of 2024, the CFL noted.

This work will be split into two phases: the closure of Bettembourg station from 13 July to 11 August 2024 and the interruption of traffic between Luxembourg and Bettembourg from 12 August to 15 September 2024. To allow passengers to continue their daily journeys, the CFL emphasised it will provide a replacement bus service for the duration of these works.

From 13 July to 11 August 2024: closure of Bettembourg station

The renovation works on the “Hammerel bridge” by Luxembourg's National Roads Administration will require the complete closure of Bettembourg station to ensure the safety of passengers and construction site personnel on-site, the CFL announced. Trains will not run in both directions between Luxembourg and Thionville, Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg/Bettembourg and Volmerange-les-Mines and lastly between Noertzange and Rumelange.

A replacement bus service will be set up in both directions, taking into account the trains’ occupancy rate. The CFL added that customers should allow between 30 and 45 minutes of additional travel time.

Replacement service buses

  • Bus L90 Luxembourg (Gare Rocade) – Howald – Bettembourg – Hettange-Grande – Thionville: These buses will serve all stops served by trains to and from Thionville. During peak hours, departures will take place every 30 minutes. Outside peak hours: departures will occur every hour. The stop in Bettembourg will be at temporary bus platforms (see signage). During peak morning hours, additional buses will depart from Hettange-Grande towards Luxembourg;
  • Bus L91 Luxembourg (Gare Rocade) – Thionville (direct): Departures will be scheduled every 5 minutes during peak hours;
  • Bus L94 Luxembourg (Gare Rocade) – Howald – Thionville: During peak hours, there will be departures every 10 minutes, with departures every 30 min outside peak hours;
  • Bus L60: Luxembourg (Bus station) – Bettembourg – Esch-sur-Alzette: These buses serve all train stops between Luxembourg, Bettembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette except the Berchem stop, departures will be scheduled every 15 min;
  • Bus L62: Luxembourg (Bus station) – Esch-sur-Alzette (direct): During peak hours, there will be departures every 15 minutes, outside of peak hours, departures will be scheduled every 30 min;
  • Bus L63: Bonnevoie, Lycée Bouneweg – Bettembourg – Dudelange – Volmerange: These buses serve all the stops served by the train between Luxembourg and Volmerange-les-Mines, departing every 30 min. There is the possibility of reaching Luxembourg-Gare and the Howald interchange with the tram (new section towards Howald in service from 7 July 2024). The Berchem stop is served by this bus. The replacement bus L60 (departure every 15 minutes during rush hour) will enable customers to reach Esch-sur-Alzette from Bettembourg;

TGV Luxembourg – Metz bus - Departure from Luxembourg-Gare to join the TGVs departing from Metz, an offer reserved for TGV customers.

For their daily travel, CFL customers can also use the following RGTR bus lines:

  • Lines 501, 502, 503 and 504 towards Thionville;
  • Lines 505 and 506 towards Hayange and Metzange;
  • Line 551 for customers going to Belval from Thionville;
  • Line 507 between Luxembourg and Volmerange-les-Mines;
  • Lines 508 and 601 Luxembourg, Rumelange and Ottange;
  • Lines 511, 512 and 513 between Luxembourg and Bettembourg.

Trains will continue to run between Esch-sur-Alzette and Rodange (all stops served).

From 12 August to 15 September 2024: interruption of traffic between Luxembourg and Bettembourg

During this second part of the summer period, the CFL will continue to carry out work with a view to the future connection of the new Luxembourg – Bettembourg line at the Bettembourg and Luxembourg stations. This period of closure will in particular allow the extension of the Howald interchange hub to continue.

Equipped with a second platform and new tracks, this work will connect the tracks of the new line to the capital and physically separate the train traffic on the Luxembourg – Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange and Luxembourg – Bettembourg – Thionville lines. From 2028, this work aims to improve the level of service to and from mainland France.

A shuttle bus to and from Luxembourg and Bettembourg will be scheduled for departure every five minutes during rush hour and every fifteen minutes during off-peak hours.

From Rodange to Paris by TGV for the Olympic Games

During this work, customers will have access to the following services during the Olympic Games

From 28 July to 11 August 2024, one TGV per day will depart from Paris-Est towards Rodange and vice versa. Due to the adapted route, customers should allow approximately 45 minutes of additional travel time from Rodange; the main site of the Olympic Games is, therefore, less than three hours from the Grand Duchy, the CFL added.

Note that a TGV has also been set up from Rodange towards Montpellier. The stops served include Metz, Strasbourg, Dijon, Lyon, Valence and Nîmes, among others.

More details are available at www.cfl.lu or in the CFL mobile application.