Around 6000 people in Cologne were evacuated in the evening due to the defusal of two World War II bombs. An important railway line was closed, affecting long-distance, regional, and freight trains. Most trains are being rerouted with minor delays.
The unexploded bombs, English ten-hundredweight bombs with impact fuses, were discovered during surveying work in Cologne-Gremberg. The security zone covers 500 meters around the site. At around 23:45, the city of Cologne granted permission for the defusal.
The affected section is between Cologne Airport/Businesspark and Cologne-Porz for S-Bahns as well as long-distance, regional, and freight services. Trains from Cologne-Deutz on the right bank toward Bonn and Frankfurt/Main cannot operate. Lines S 12, RE 9, and all long-distance trains are being rerouted via Cologne/Bonn Airport.
“There will be minor delays of about ten minutes,” explained a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson. Lines RE 6 and RE 8 start or end at Cologne Messe/Deutz and are canceled between Cologne Messe/Deutz and Troisdorf. “Travelers can alternatively use the still operating S 12 and RE 9 as well as the RB 27, which is not affected by the closure,” the spokesperson added.
These measures are causing disruptions to regional and long-distance travel, while the defusal proceeds safely.