ETCS rollout on Cologne–Rhine/Main line: works to start in 2029

On the roughly 180 km Cologne–Rhine/Main high-speed line, ETCS Level 2 without lineside signals is being introduced on about 173 km, with digital interlockings replacing the existing interlocking sub-centres in Troisdorf, Montabaur and Frankfurt Airport long-distance station. The project is part of the "Digital Rail Germany" starter package and is currently (as of June 2026) in the approval design stage (service phase 3); construction is scheduled to start at the end of 2029. Commissioning of the digital interlocking in the Cologne area is planned for December 2031, with full ETCS equipping of the entire line, including the Frankfurt area, scheduled for December 2034.