The future Howald interchange was connected this week to the new line, which will become operational in September 2027. It crosses the A3 motorway via the magnificent bow-string bridge before heading towards the Berchem service area. / © Domingos Oliveira / RTL
Amid ongoing service disruptions for cross-border commuters, a major milestone was reached for Luxembourg's rail network as the first tracks of the new Bettembourg-Luxembourg City line were laid during the All Saints' holiday closure.
Commuters from the Sillon mosellan area, who have faced repeated train cancellations including another this week, received a tangible sign of progress as the first rails for the future Luxembourg City to Bettembourg line have been installed.
While the new infrastructure will not provide immediate relief, it marks a significant milestone in a project that promises to eventually deliver up to eight trains per hour between the border and the capital, alongside improved punctuality as pledged by the Luxembourg National Railway Company (CFL).
The installation was made possible during the All Saints' holidays, which saw a complete railway closure between Bettembourg and Luxembourg City that will remain in place until Sunday, 9 November. This closure has allowed crews to install four new sets of points and 900 metres of track, effectively connecting the modernised Howald stop to the A3 motorway bridge near Croix de Gasperich.
This work follows major summer construction and the mid-September opening of a new platform at Howald, which is being transformed into a key multimodal interchange.
Paul Ewert, CFL's head of external communications, confirmed that these are the very first rails for the new line and that track-laying will continue throughout 2026. In preparation, crews have also spread 18,000 tonnes of ballast – the foundational stone bed for the tracks – along a 1.8-kilometre section. Parallel work on fencing, noise barrier foundations, and water retention basins is also underway.
Two independent lines by September 2027
The core purpose of the new 7-kilometre railway line is to alleviate congestion on the nation's busiest rail segment: the existing Luxembourg City-Bettembourg route that runs through Berchem. By the target date of "September 2027", the two lines will operate completely independently.
This separation is designed to create a more resilient network. In the event of a disruption or technical problem on one line, train traffic between Bettembourg and the capital will continue to run smoothly on the other. Under the new configuration, the future line will be dedicated to trains serving the Sillon mosellan cross-border commuters, while the existing line will handle services on the Luxembourg City-Esch-sur-Alzette-Rodange route.
This infrastructure expansion is complemented by a major fleet renewal. To increase overall seating capacity across the network by 46%, the CFL is progressively introducing its new Coradia Stream High Capacity trains. Out of a total order of 34 trains scheduled to be operational "by the end of 2026", 14 were already in service as of mid-October 2025.
The new fleet includes longer, coupled units to maximise passenger space. A first 164-metre-long coupled train, offering 668 seats, has already been successfully deployed, marking a significant step toward meeting the growing demand for rail travel.
Two level crossings soon to be removed
In parallel with the new line construction, CFL is using the All Saints' holiday period to advance work on the removal of two level crossings, a measure the company describes as an "absolute priority" for improving safety.
The Dommeldange level crossing, which was permanently closed to vehicular traffic on 7 June, is currently being converted to include a new underpass for pedestrians and cyclists. During the holiday closure, crews are focusing on adapting the tracks, overhead electrical systems, and other technical installations to the new layout of the site.
A similar safety upgrade is underway at the Colmar-Usines crossing. There, the first phase of constructing a new barrier-free underpass has been completed, with concrete structural elements successfully slid beneath the active railway tracks on the line between Ettelbruck and Bissen.
Separately, CFL teams are also conducting repair and cleaning work on railway installations between Mersch and Ettelbruck. This maintenance is a direct response to recent heavy rain and adverse weather conditions that have affected the infrastructure.
Read also:
Fleet modernisation: CFL debuts first double-length Coradia train
Summer travel disruption: Major rail closures set to disrupt Luxembourg for two months
