Groningen-Leer train connection to resume in early October

Passenger train services between Groningen, Netherlands, and Leer, Germany, are scheduled to resume in early October. This reopening follows an approximately eleven-year interruption caused by severe damage to the Friesenbrücke bridge in 2015.

Preparations are currently underway, with Arriva having commenced training runs for train drivers. The project involved significant infrastructure upgrades on both sides of the border, including the construction of a new lift-and-turn bridge at the Friesenbrücke, the installation of new tracks, switches, and overhead lines, and the addition of new stations in Bunde and Ihrhove.

The restoration of this link serves as a critical milestone for the ‘Wunderline’ project, which aims to establish a fast international rail connection between Groningen and Bremen. Improvements to the track speed between Bad Nieuweschans and Leer are expected to reduce travel times for passengers.