In the coming weeks, passengers should continue to expect many irregularities, according to KVB press spokesman Matthias Pesch. "Although we can already prevent 50 percent of the cancellations with the changes that will begin in January and February, we will then be far from an ideal situation," Pesch said. As of February 6, the afternoon additional runs on lines 1, 9 and 15 will be eliminated. The use of additional vehicles and a resulting possible extension of the turnover times at the terminal stops have already reduced the likelihood of delays on lines 4, 13 and 18.

However, most of the cancellations will not take effect until March. Pesch says this is because of the logistically complex processes that the changes entail. Drivers also need to know about their assignments well in advance.

KVB is not alone in facing the problem of high absenteeism, said Stefanie Haaks, chairwoman of the board. In Munich and Bremen, for example, there have been similar cuts in local transport. The aim of the timetable cuts, she said, was to "create a more stable and reliable service again and at the same time relieve our increasingly burdened drivers.”

Most recently, KVB refrained from listing train cancellations on Twitter and on its own website. According to Haaks, the list is too long and it takes time to find one's own connection. "You can't expect any customer to do that," she said.

Stadtwerke Bonn Bus und Bahn also complains about a high level of sick leave among its drivers. In December, at 16 percent, this was twice as high as in the previous year, according to the press office. So far, however, no cuts in rail or bus services are planned. Lines 16 and 18 will continue to run as regularly as before, at least in the Bonn city area.

In the coming days, passengers will have to expect considerable limitations in tram services due to construction work at the Appellhofplatz stop in Cologne. At a cost of around 650,000 euros, the KVB is replacing the 37-year-old switches at the station, renewing around 54 meters of rails and laying around 30 cubic meters of new gravel. The construction work is scheduled to continue until Monday, January 9, at around 3 a.m. The KVB lines 5, 16 and 18 will be affected and will not be able to use their regular routes during this time.

During the construction work, lines 16 and 18 will be diverted between the Cologne stops Barbarossaplatz and Ebertplatz via the ring route, which is also used by lines 12 and 15. Tram line 16 coming from Bonn, Wesseling or Sürth and tram line 18 coming from Bonn or Schwadorf will only travel their regular route as far as the Barbarossaplatz stop. After that, both lines will be diverted to the Ebertplatz stop via the ring route, where they will serve all stops of lines 12 and 15. For the rerouting, trams of both lines will stop at the Barbarossaplatz stop at platforms 1 and 2, i.e. not at their usual platforms.

For lines 16 and 18, the KVB will operate a replacement bus service between the stops Barbarossaplatz and Breslauer Platz/Hauptbahnhof.

Due to work by Deutsche Bahn (DB) on the left bank of the Rhine, long-distance trains will not stop at Bonn Central Station between 9 p.m. on Friday, January 6, and 9 p.m. on Friday, February 10. In addition to Bonn, Cologne Central Station and the stops in Remagen and Andernach will also be affected. According to Deutsche Bahn, long-distance traffic will be rerouted via the route on the right bank of the Rhine. During this period, IC trains will stop at Beuel station and Cologne Messe/Deutz instead. In general, the travel time will be extended by about ten minutes, according to the statement.

In addition to the detour in long-distance traffic, there will also be limitations in regional traffic, according to the DB statement. Cancellations, stops and detour are to be expected. This affects the regional express trains of the lines RE 5 and RE 8 as well as the regional trains RB 26, RB 30 and RB 48. The impact will vary depending on the construction phase and line.

(Orig. text: ga / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)