Groningen-Leer train service resumes with weekday transfers

Passenger train services between Groningen, Netherlands, and Leer, Germany, are set to resume on October 5. This marks the return of direct passenger rail connections following the 2015 collision involving the Friesenbrücke.

While the service will run once per hour, weekday daytime travelers will face mandatory transfers in Winschoten. This is due to a speed restriction near Hurdegaryp, where ProRail reduced the maximum speed from 120 to 80 km/h because of unstable soil caused by high peat layers and groundwater levels. The resulting time loss prevents the trains from fitting into the standard direct schedule during the day.

Direct service will be available during the first two trips in the morning and the last two trips in the evening. On weekends, the train will run directly once per hour. The route includes new stations in Bunde and Ihrhove, and travelers can use standard contactless payment methods on the Arriva-operated section.