Luxembourgish Names Added to Train Station Platform Signs

Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works have announced that the CFL national railway company recently added Luxembourgish names to signs on its platforms.

As part of its reported commitment to multilingualism and the promotion of the Luxembourgish language, the CFL has begun displaying the names of localities in both French and Luxembourgish on platform and stop signs. This initiative, which will eventually affect 280 signs across the network, aims to strengthen the presence of the Luxembourgish language in public spaces without putting users at a disadvantage.

On Friday 21 March 2025, Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, and the Minister for Culture (responsible for the Luxembourgish language), Eric Thill, took stock of the project's progress during a visit to the renovated train station in Esch-sur-Alzette. The visit took place in the presence of Jeannot Waringo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CFL, and directors Marc Hoffmann (Infrastructure Management) and Henri Werdel (Infrastructure Investment). Esch-sur-Alzette and Differdange are the first stations where signs are displayed in both French and Luxembourgish.

"The installation of bilingual signage in our transport infrastructure strengthens the visibility of the Luxembourgish language in public spaces. CFL stations, used daily by many residents, cross-border workers and visitors, thus benefit from signage that facilitates accessibility. Displaying the names of localities improves [their] recognisability and makes orientation more intuitive and inclusive for all passengers," said Minister Backes.

Minister Thill noted that "this measure perfectly illustrates the complementarity between the promotion of the Luxembourgish language and the commitment to multilingualism. It strengthens the cultural identity of Luxembourg while facilitating the recognition and everyday use of our language. This type of initiative helps further anchor the Luxembourgish language in public life and raise awareness of its importance among both residents and visitors."

The signs at all stations operated by the CFL are expected to be bilingual by the end of 2026. These include two stations over the border, in France: Audun-le-Tiche (Däitsch-Oth) and Volmerange-les-Mines (Wuelmereng).

The ministries added that this project supports the station modernisation work, but is also part of a broader approach aimed at providing a common linguistic reference for all travellers.

Henri Werdel, Director of Infrastructure Investment at CFL, who led the project, noted: "The renewal of the signs is a good opportunity to promote the Luxembourgish language and create a harmonious identity."