States plan double-tracking of the Eifel line by 2035

North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Luxembourg and the regional rail authorities go.Rheinland and SPNV-Nord have signed a declaration of intent on demand-based double-tracking of the roughly 160 km Eifel line between Cologne and Trier, to be implemented in stages by 2035. The aim is an hourly fast regional express with a journey time under 2 hours 20 minutes, connecting Luxembourg and Saarbrücken better with Cologne. In the Cologne area, extra switch connections and a bypass at Hürth-Fischenich are planned; funding is to come from federal GVFG money and no costs are given. The date is a placeholder for the 2035 target year (LOK Report, 11 Mar 2026).