12 Oct 2018 | 07:24 PM UTC
Germany: Trains on Cologne-Frankfurt line to be diverted Oct. 13-14 /update 1
High-speed rail line closed between Cologne and Frankfurt until October 14 due to fire on Munich-bound train October 12; trip between Cologne and Frankfurt to take 80 minutes longer
Event
A train traveling between Cologne (North Rhine-Westphalia state) and Munich (Bavaria state) reportedly caught fire around Dierdorf (Rhineland-Palatinate state) at approximately 06:30 (local time) on Friday, October 12, forcing the evacuations of all 510 passengers from the train cars. According to local police, five people were lightly injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation as of Friday.
The high-speed Cologne-Frankfurt rail line, on which the train caught fire, is expected to be closed until at least until Sunday, October 14. Scheduled trains on the route will be diverted onto the old Rhine line, extending the travel time between Cologne and Frankfurt by 80 minutes. Trains traveling on this route will not make typically scheduled stops at Montabaur, Limburg Süd, and Siegburg/Bonn.
Advice
Potentially affected travelers are advised to confirm the status of their trains prior to departure for the train station and prepare for longer travel times between Cologne and Frankfurt.
