Cologne–Hamm corridor overhaul: full closure planned from 2033

The corridor renovation covers roughly 156 km of long-distance track and stations between Cologne, Düsseldorf, the Ruhr area and Hamm; the separate RRX expansion (running since 2017, including a six-track section between Düsseldorf-Benrath and Duisburg) continues in parallel. Originally planned for 2027, the general overhaul was postponed because the accelerated renewal of the Kinzigtal line in Hesse rules out closing both routes at once; under the industry-coordinated schedule confirmed in September 2025, construction now starts no earlier than 2028, with the roughly five-month full closure itself planned from 2033. No investment figure is given on the project page. ETCS equipping is not confirmed for this corridor on the source page (it is described there only for the separate "Rechter Rhein" corridor).