Line 18 to run more often
Line 18 currently runs every 20 minutes between Brühl and Bonn. In future, it will run twice as frequently: every 10 minutes. To achieve this, however, the route must first be upgraded. In many places, it consists of only one track. The increase in frequency is necessary as line 18 has reached its capacity limit during peak times. At the same time, the light rail service should help to relieve the road network and thus contribute to climate protection.
In Bornheim, several large construction areas will be built along line 18 in the coming years. This will add many more passengers who will use line 18. In Bornheim-Merten and in the center of Bornheim in particular, many new houses are being built close to the stops.
First milestone for the expansion of line 18
In May 2023, North Rhine-Westphalia's Transport Minister Oliver Krischer handed over a grant notification for the expansion of Line 18 worth around 3.5 million euros to the District Administrator of the Rhein-Sieg district. The planning of the double-track expansion of the Vorgebirgsbahn between Brühl and Bonn is supported by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia with funds from the "FöRi-Planungsvorrat" funding program. This "guideline for the promotion of planning services to form a planning reserve" is intended to accelerate the planning of infrastructure projects using state funding, thereby increasing the amount of federal funding available.
The overall project is being coordinated by the Rhein-Sieg district as the public transport authority in consultation with "Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG" (HGK), the transport companies KVB and SWB Bus und Bahn, the district municipalities of Alfter and Bornheim and the neighboring public transport authorities of Bonn and Brühl.
Four municipalities linked together
The local authorities and transport companies concerned have initiated the project in the "Future Rhine-Sieg Light Rail" working group. The basis for the expansion planning is a feasibility study, which was completed in 2021 with a positive result.
Specifically, the route section from Brühl-Badorf to Bonn-Dransdorf, which extends across the area of four towns and municipalities, is to be expanded:
- Brühl: 1.3 kilometers of track
- Bornheim: 6.3 kilometers of track, 3 existing and one additional station
- Alfter: 1.3 kilometers route
- Bonn: 0.7 kilometers of track
Further planning will be carried out by HGK as the responsible railroad infrastructure company.