The Luxembourg railways (CFL) have announced that a replacement bus service will be implemented (in both directions) to ferry passengers between Esch-sur-Alzette and Audun-le-Tiche (across the border in France) between 21 September and 27 October, and also between 16 November and 8 December, during the completion of modernisation work at Esch-sur-Alzette station; these buses will also serve Belval-Université station.
The modernisation work is being carried out to improve the train station, for which the CFL is commencing a new phase to rehabilitate and modernise the railway facilities at Esch-sur-Alzette station. Following the successive commissioning of the passenger building and the forecourt of the station, which was renovated in 2017 and 2018, the CFL is continuing the modernisation of this station, one of the largest in the country with 13,000 boarding and alighting passengers per day in 2023.
Served by the busiest line in the country (Luxembourg – Esch/Alzette – Rodange) as well as by the cross-border line between Audun-le-Tiche and Esch/Alzette, this station has three platform tracks, two of which are required for operating the line to or from Rodange.
The current work concerns a large part of the railway installations including the platforms (replacement of the floor covering), the canopies protecting customers in bad weather (painting and replacement of the edge sheet metal) and the access lift to platform 2. The interruption of rail traffic will also allow the renewal of certain fixed installations, in particular the bins and the guardrails along the platforms. Benches and tactile lines will also be installed on the various platforms of the station. As for the canopy covering access to the first platform of the station, it will be replaced by a structure with a more modern appearance.
The CFL has added that other modernisation works will follow directly at Esch-sur-Alzette station including the repair of the underground passage (outside of this phase of interruption of rail traffic).
The replacement buses will run every half hour (on working days) and in both directions between Esch-sur-Alzette and Audun-le-Tiche, also serving Belval-Université station. The CFL has asked customers to allow for an extension of the journey time of 10 minutes.
