Following an incident of rockfall on 27 August 2022 inside the Schieburg tunnel during planned maintenance work between Kautenbach and Wilwerwiltz, Luxembourg's national railway company, the CFL, has undertaken an in-depth analyses which to determine the reasons for this landslide, as well as the condition of the rock above the tunnel (location and evaluation of the cavity that has formed).

Once these studies have been finalised, it will be possible to define a sustainable work plan to allow traffic to be put back into service in complete safety on the section concerned, which will not take place before 11 December 2022.

Alternatives offered to customers

As an alternative, the CFL will provide a substitute service by bus, adapted to the needs shared by the municipalities concerned by the incident during an exchange between these municipalities, the CFL, the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works and the Public Transport Administration.

Substitution bus offer set up from 12 September 2022:

  • Direct buses between Clervaux and Ettelbruck (and vice‐versa); runs once per hour; approximate journey time: 42 min.
  • Bus between Clervaux and Kautenbach also serving the Drauffelt and Wilwerwiltz stops (and vice‐versa); runs once per hour; approximate journey time: 34 min.

Details regarding the replacement buses will be available online at www.cfl.lu and in the timetable search of the CFL mobile application from 10 September 2022.

Reinforcement of the existing RGTR 174 line and temporary circulation of a new RGTR 179 line:

In consultation with the Public Transport Administration and the supervisory ministry, the public service offer by bus will be extended as soon as possible.

  • Line RGTR 174 (Troisvierges – Hosingen):
    • one service per hour and per direction, reinforced by an additional service per hour and only in the north-south direction during morning rush hours and south-north during evening rush hours.
  • Temporary: Line RGTR 179 (Clervaux – Ettelbruck):
    • two services per hour and per direction during peak hours
    • one service per hour outside peak hours

Existing offer on the axis of the national road 7 (N7):

  • Line 170 (Weiswampach (Schmëtt) – Ettelbruck):
    • two services per hour and per direction during peak hours
    • one service per hour outside peak hours

Development of P&R on the axis of the N7:

Some additional P&R, in consultation with municipal representatives, will be developed by the National Roads Administration in the coming weeks in order to improve access to RGTR lines along the N7.

An adaptation of the train offer for certain customers

In view of the closure of the Clervaux – Kautenbach rail section, following the rockfall in the Schieburg tunnel, from 12 September 2022, trains from Luxembourg will have their terminus in Kautenbach and trains coming from Liège will have their terminus in Clervaux.

Consequently, during the week,

  • customers using the Gouvy – Troisvierges – Clervaux section will have one train per hour instead of two
  • customers using the Luxembourg – Ettelbruck section can count on:
    • two trains per hour regardless of their stop; these two trains then continue to Diekirch
    • one train that stops at the following stops: Luxembourg ‐ Pfaffenthal‐Kirchberg ‐ Dommeldange ‐ Walferdange - Mersch - Ettelbruck; this train then continues to Kautenbach serving the stops of Michelau and Goebelsmühle
  • customers using the Kautenbach – Wiltz section will have one train per hour instead of two. This train will stop at Merkholtz.

The CFL requested customers to find out precise journey via the timetable search modules on www.cfl.lu or on the CFL mobile application, as well as on www.mobiliteit.lu or on the mobiliteit.lu mobile application.

To present the programme of alternative measures, a press conference will be held on Tuesday 13 September 2022 in the presence of representatives of the CFL, the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works and the Public Transport Administration.