New footbridge at Bettembourg train station; Credit: copyright CFL, Patrick Flammang

On Wednesday 18 August 2021, the CFL installed a new footbridge at Bettembourg railway station. 

The CFL is undertaking a major exercise in modernising and expanding the facilities, including train stations, for its customers. This bridge, which weighs 110 tons (300 tons including the 4 stairways), is 56 metres long and has a 4-metre height and 5.7 metres width (of which pedestrians can use 3.5m). 

Made up of three elements, the footbridge, which has come a long way to come to Luxembourg by boat, was pre-assembled upstream, partly in a workshop and partly in the car park near its final location. The construction was laid the last two week-ends, specifically 7-8 August and 15 August 2021.

This metal construction will allow full access to the platforms for CFL customers, including people with reduced mobility, from the end of 2021. Before its opening in December 2021, the structure will be completed with lifts, CCTV cameras as well as lighting, thus providing, with the glass walls, an illuminated space and contributing to the feeling of safety of customers. 

At the same time, the CFL are adapting the platforms at Bettembourg train station. Some are being widened to link them to the footbridge and guarantee accessibility; others, especially those receiving trains to / from Thionville, will be temporarily extended, thus providing the necessary space to accommodate longer trains, offering more seats to passengers.

The CFL stressed that, all the work, having repercussions on rail traffic, is carried out during periods of less traffic to limit the impact of the work on passengers and to ensure the safety of all those involved, namely during school holidays, weekends and even at night. 

The footbridge is found on the south side of the station and is accessible from the car park. The new footbridge will complement the existing underground passageway which will remain in place to allow a better distribution of the passage flows at this particularly busy station.