Luxembourg - General Information

From EGTRE
Jump to navigationJump to search

Country Name

Luxembourg

National Railway System

National Railway Operator

Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Luxembourgeois (CFL).

Language

Luxembourgish (Letzebuergesch), French and German

Currency

Euro

UIC code

numeric 82; alpha L

Timetable

Journey Planner

Liaisons - recherche

Downloadable Timetable

Pocket Timetables. Under "Pocket timetables", select the option required:

  • National
  • International

Printed Timetable

CFL no longer produces a printed timetable. However, timetable leaflets are available for each line and for bus services and international trains.

Engineering Information

Work Sites

There is another link for disruptions.

Disruptions

Bus Information

Horaires et Lignes - Bus

Tram Information

Horaires et Ligne - Tram

Maps

Printed Maps

Web-based Maps

Ticketing

Since 29 February 2020, all public transport in Luxembourg has been free of charge to use at all times which includes CFL trains in second class. The CFL Tickets web page gives details of all remaining ticket types including domestic First Class tickets, (and note as at October 2022 that an all-day 1st class day ticket was available for €6).

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

The Administration des Chemins de Fer (ACF) is the national authority for the railways and tramways.

Network Statement

Documents de Référence du Réseau (DDR) > Network Statements for DRR 2023 and DDR 2024 (english versions).

Gauge

Standard

Electrification

All CFL passenger routes are electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz as defined in The Railway Administration (ACF) 2020 Network Statement.

The Luxtram tramway system operates at 750 V dc.

Rule of the road

Right (except for the Sterpenich - Luxembourg section which is used by SNCB and has left hand running).

Distances

Detailed distances for each line are given in the Network Statement Appendix 2A: The Luxembourg Rail Network

Other Railways

None.

Tourist Lines

  • L'Association des Musee et Tourisme Ferroviaires (AMTF) (Train 1900) (standard gauge, 8 km length): Pétange (close to CFL station) to Bois de Rodange with reversal at Fond de Gras. A connection with the CFL network at Pétange sees occasional through excursion trains.
  • Minièresbunn Doihl asbl (MBD) (700 mm gauge): a preserved mining line, from Fond de Gras via Doihl and through a 1400 m long tunnel to Lasauvage. Thence are two branches: to Saulnes [France] and to Lasauvage Eglise. Part (including the tunnel) is electrified at 500 V dc while other sections are worked by steam or diesel.
  • Musée National de Mines de Fer (700 mm gauge 4.2 km circuit): a preserved mining line at Rumelange.
  • Slate Museum Industrial Train Tour (narrow gauge, less than 1 km length); a tourist line at the national slate museum at Martelange Haut. Trains normally run in the afternoon on Sundays and Holidays in summer subject to weather and availability.

Metro

None

Trams/LRT Systems

Luxtram - see Luxtram (in French or German) or Wikimonde (in French) websites.

A track plan for the Luxembourg Luxtram system is available on the Gleisplanweb site, and was current at January 2024.

Planning has started on a new fast tram line between Luxembourg and Esch-sur-Alzette, with a planned opening date in 2028.

Recent and Future Changes

Recent (latest first) changes

The 4 km of the Luxtram extension south, from Lycée Bouneweg to Stadion, opened on to the public from midday 7 July 2024. Further extensions of Luxtram are under construction with the beginning of 2025 as the opening date for the extension east to Findel airport.

A 4 metre section of the roof of the 236 metre single track Schieburg tunnel, on Line 10 north from Luxembourg to Gouvy and Liège, collapsed during maintenance work at the end of August 2022, closing it to all traffic. The reopening was almost a year later on 24 July 2023 after repair and reinforcement of the roof of the tunnel.

The fourth section of the new Luxtram tram network, going south between Gare Centrale and Lycée Bouneweg, opened to the public from midday 11 September 2022.

As part of the creation of an intermodal hub an additional platform and two further through tracks have been added at Ettelbruck station. This also allows Diekirch branch trains to proceed as far as Ettelbruck to wait for trains off the branch there. This project was completed in 2022.

CFL officially inaugurated two new platforms, four new platform tracks (nos. 11-14) and a new footbridge at Luxembourg Gare Centrale on 12 December 2021.

The third section of the new Luxtram tram network, also with catenary-free contactless running, going south between Stäreplaz and Gare Centrale opened on 13 December 2020.

All public transport (Second Class only) in Luxembourg became free to use from 29 February 2020 in an effort to ease road congestion. Free Second Class public transport for under 20s started on 1 August 2018.

The limited Mon-Fri peak hours cross border service from Rodange to Aubange SNCB ceased in July 2019.

The new parallel viaduct at Pulvermühle (just north of Luxembourg Gare Centrale), allowing Lines 10 and 30 to be split, and the associated double tracking of the line through to Sandweiler-Contern were inaugurated on 11 June 2019.

A new cross border service, routed via Trier West, was planned at the end of 2019 as part of a Luxembourg - Wasserbillig - Wittlich service on Line 30. However, works to upgrade stations of the Trierer Weststrecke, and provide new ones, have been heavily delayed so the earliest regular passenger service will start is now late 2024 or 2025. An improved service started running on Line 30 in December 2019, but it is routed via Trier Hbf at present.

The second section of the new Luxtram tram network, with catenary-free contactless running, west from Rout Bréck–Pafendall to Stäreplaz/Etoile opened on 27 July 2018.

Conversion of line 5, Luxembourg – Kleinbettingen - frontier, from 3 kV DC to 25 kV 50 Hz ac was completed in autumn 2018.

On 10 December 2017 new stations opened at Howald (on the Bettembourg line) and at Pfaffenthal-Kirchberg (on the Wasserbillig line, affording connection by funicular with the new tram line (see below)).

From 20 July 2017 the CFL Luxembourg rail network was equipped with the ETCS level 1 European train control system, See CFL ETCS Level 1.

The first section of the new Luxtram tram network opened through Kirchberg on 10 December 2017 between Luxexpo and Rout Bréck–Pafendall (where there is a funicular link to the CFL Pfaffenthal-Kirchberg station).

From 4 April 2016 the service from Thionville to Longwy over the Bettembourg avoiding line was withdrawn.

From 17 February 2016 Rodange - Athus [BE] [ - Virton] was reduced to a skeleton service because the introduction of different signalling systems meant there was no suitable CFL rolling stock available; the service was withdrawn completely from 20 June 2016 but resumed from 11 December 2016.

Double tracking of the line from Hollerich to Pétange completed in December 2012.

The extension of the line across the border from Dudelange to Volmerange-les-Mines in France opened to public traffic on 15 December 2003.

Future changes

Two further extensions of the Luxtram network were approved in February 2024. A line to the Kirchberg Plateau, Pfaffenthal - Kirchberg station and the new K2 neighbourhood, with first phase open in 2027. The HO line, branching off from near Gare Centrale, to serve the future "Nei Hollerich" neighbourhood and its Hollerich interchange station, with first phase open in 2028.

Work is underway (at December 2023) on the following projects:-

  • Gare Centrale is undergoing a long-term rebuilding programme to increase capacity, started in 2006, including adding two extra platforms and four new tracks. One new track (no. 11) was opened at the December 2019 timetable change and the remaining three (nos. 12, 13 & 14) opened on 12 December 2021. Further work remodelling the southern approaches started in 2022. The extension project completion is due in 2025 with gradual commissioning of Luxembourg Station in its new form.
  • A new line is to be built from Howald to Bettembourg. The first phase, covering construction of the new line and temporary connections to the existing line at Howald and Bettembourg, was approved in February 2016. It is planned for technical and commercial commissioning to gradually take place from 2027 onwards. See CFL Works Blog.
  • two new 'peripherique' stations are to be constructed at Dommeldange and Cessange.

Planning started in 2020 on a new fast tram line between Luxembourg via Esch-sur-Alzette to Belval and Belvaux, with a planned opening date to Leudelange in 2026. Further sections are planned to open at 2 year intervals; reaching Esch-sur-Alzette by 2032 with Belval and Belvaux being reached in 2035.

See Le Tram Rapide (In French).

A proposal for SuperBus feeder routes in France could threaten the outer end of Line 60c: Esch-sur-Alzette - Audun le Tiche with closure in 2028.

Special Notes

CFL provides the only passenger service to Audun-le-Tiche and Volmerange les Mines (France).

See also