Credit: © CFL
On Monday 18 September 2023, Luxembourg's national railway operator, the CFL, officially inaugurated the new facilities at Mersch station and the new CFL Park+Rail (P+R) car park, in the presence of Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works, François Bausch, and members of the management of CFL.
According to the CFL, the redevelopment of the entire site turned it into an exchange hub, where residents of the country's centre will have new facilities for their daily mobility, in particular to reach the capital by train.
The work to modernise and expand the railway elements of Mersch station (the Luxembourg – Mersch – Troisvierges – Gouvy line) started in 2019 and came to an end with the inauguration celebrated on 18 September in the presence of numerous guests including Minister Bausch, Michel Malherbe, Mayor of the municipality of Mersch, Jeannot Waringo, President of the Board of Directors of the CFL, Marc Wengler, General Director of the CFL, Henri Werdel, Infrastructure Management Director, as well as the team in charge of the work around Project Manager Tim Hoscheit, Infrastructure Manager within the Infrastructure Projects Department.
“I am delighted to see Mersch station transformed into an attractive multimodal hub for customers of the Northern line,” said Minister Bausch. “Good coordination between the CFL, the National Roads Administration, the Mersch municipal administration and the National Institute for Architectural Heritage has made it possible to achieve a leap in quality across all mobility solutions offered on this site, whether P+R, rail transport and bus transport, thanks to the redevelopment of the bus station. The State will continue to finance this type of work to encourage the multimodality reflex which proves beneficial both for mobility on a national scale by limiting the growth in the number of cars on the roads, and for environment because the train is the least polluting means of public transport.”
Marc Wengler, Managing Director of CFL, emphasised: “The transformation of Mersch station represents an important link in the evolution of the national concept of the rail network to meet the growing demand of our customers while ensuring the highest quality of service. The developments made allow us to immediately strengthen the train offer and to have additional flexibility in favour of their punctuality. Our customers also gain in travel comfort by using the new P+R in direct proximity to the modernised platforms of the Mersch station, equipped with canopies to allow them to remain sheltered from bad weather.”
According to the CFL, Mersch station has undergone enhancements in customer service. The CFL has extended the cross trains running from Pétange to Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, and Dommeldange to and from Mersch. This development now allows all trains on this route to travel to Mersch in both directions, providing up to five departures per hour towards Luxembourg from Mersch and vice versa (Monday to Saturday). The station's two platforms were renovated, widened and extended to 250 metres and 270 metres, respectively. This expansion aims to accommodate longer trains and provide more seating capacity, especially with the introduction of the new Coradia Stream High Capacity railcars in 2024. Additionally, eight new switches were added to the north and south of the station to enhance rail traffic management flexibility, especially during disruptions, with the goal of improving train punctuality.
Infrastructure was developed to encourage the combination of public transport and active mobility. This includes a bus station with nine bus stops near the railway station and the provision of 116 bicycle spaces at the Mersch multimodal exchange hub. New canopies and a temperate shelter have been installed to protect customers from adverse weather conditions. Improved signage on the platforms aims to facilitate customer circulation and orientation.
CFL took measures to improve accessibility, particularly for individuals with reduced mobility, include level entry into trains from the platforms, tactile lines and the installation of three lifts (two for platform access and one for P+R access). A new central underground passage now provides barrier-free access to the platforms from both the station square and the new P+R facility.
A new P+R facility with 405 covered parking spaces has been constructed near Mersch train station. It offers secure 24/7 access, charging points for electric or plug-in hybrid cars and a CFL car-sharing service.
Furthermore, starting this autumn, the CFL noted it will redevelop the passenger building at Mersch station, with the aim of modernising it as a "station of tomorrow."
