Trier-based newspaper Volksfreund announced Monday that a direct train connecting Luxembourg city to Cologne, Germany will make a comeback in 2026.

Currently, there is only one train per day that can take passengers directly from Luxembourg to Cologne. The journey takes approximately three and a half hours via a regional connection or through a transfer in Koblenz.

According to Thorston Müller, the director of the regional SPNV Nord rail network, repairs to flood damage on the tracks will likely make the line that passes through the Eifel region accessible for the first time by year's end.

Once access is made available, electrification of the lines can be completed by 2026. This will pave the way for a direct train route from Luxembourg to Cologne via Trier. The expected route will employ CFL Kiss double decker carriages, with trains expected to depart once every two hours.

Unfortunately, as a result of an existing contract for diesel trains along the Eifel route, it is unlikely that the route will be operated by electric trains before 2034. Despite this, Müller stated on Monday that CFL trains will likely begin operating the route three years from now.

Once all of the works are completed, the journey is expected to take around two hours.