DB InfraGO to renovate right-bank Rhine line by 12 December 2026

Along the roughly 160 km, heavily used right-bank Rhine line between Troisdorf and Wiesbaden, DB InfraGO has been renewing about 80 km of track, nearly 100 km of overhead line, 160 switches and 10 bridges as well as 36 stations since 10 July 2026, at an investment of around EUR 1.6 billion. The entire corridor is being equipped with ETCS, targeted to be operational by the end of 2027. The full-closure construction phase runs until 12 December 2026. Update (7 May 2026): According to the federal government's answer to a Greens inquiry (21/5663), the corridor renewals are meant to reduce infrastructure defects and causes of disruption and to stabilise operating quality, but not to raise train numbers. Total costs including a risk buffer are about EUR 1.65 billion, of which about EUR 70 million is DB AG's own funds; since the individual measures were bundled into two overall projects (Troisdorf–Unkel and Unkel–Wiesbaden) the cost framework has remained unchanged. In the economic-efficiency test the continuation case (carrying on without a corridor renewal) would have been at most about EUR 10.2 million cheaper, while the renewal's traffic benefit is at least about EUR 10.4 million; overall the corridor renewal is at least about EUR 200,000 more economical (LOK Report, 7 May 2026). Update (14 Jul 2026): The closure began on the evening of 10 July 2026, with 160 buses on 13 lines replacing local trains. Besides track, switches and bridges, DB InfraGO is replacing six old signal boxes (Rüdesheim, Niederlahnstein, Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein, Engers, Neuwied, Bonn-Beuel) with electronic interlockings; the three at Neuwied, Engers and Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein are due to be structurally complete by the end of 2026, with commissioning to follow later. More work continues in 2027 so that ETCS can be operational along the whole line by the end of 2027. Beforehand DB had surveyed the line for planning with drones, ground-penetrating radar and backpack scanners (29 Apr 2026); after the first weekend the Hessian transport ministry drew an initial balance on 14 Jul 2026, saying the replacement bus service had started in an orderly fashion (LOK Report, 14 Jul 2026). Update (10 Jul 2026): The Troisdorf–Wiesbaden line has been closed since the evening of 10 July 2026; passenger service is due to restart with the timetable change on 13 December 2026. A three-week closure in the first half of 2027 will bring the digital gap closure between Lahnstein and Neuwied, after which the Oberlahnstein–Unkel section can be controlled from a regional large interlocking. At stations, Neuwied keeps its 55 cm platform height and Engers is raised from 38 to 55 cm; 76 cm is not possible everywhere because of oversize freight trains. Diverted traffic burdens the left Rhine line, so regional trains are cancelled and lines RB 26 and RE 2 are meant to guarantee at least two services an hour between Koblenz and Mainz (LOK Report, 10 Jul 2026).