Disrupted train traffic: Carnival cities also affected - Carnival chaos as signal failure cripples Cologne-area train routes until evening

Train passengers in North Rhine-Westphalia face major disruptions this Carnival Saturday. An unstaffed signal box near Dormagen will halt or alter services on three key routes. The problems are set to last until around 8:00 p.m., forcing travellers to adjust their plans.

The RE7 line will see a complete suspension of services. No trains will run between Cologne Central Station and Krefeld Central Station. Instead, replacement buses have been arranged to cover the route.

On the RE6 route, trains will skip all intermediate stops between Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn Airport. This applies to journeys in both directions. Partial cancellations are also expected along this line.

The S11 line will operate a reduced service. Trains departing from Düsseldorf will terminate early at Neuss. Meanwhile, services from Bergisch Gladbach will end at Cologne-Nippes, rather than continuing to their usual destinations.

The disruptions will primarily affect passengers travelling on the RE6, RE7, and S11 lines. Delays and cancellations are inevitable, with the signal box issue causing knock-on effects across the network. Travellers are advised to check for updates before setting out.