Rail Line Closure Prompts Alternative Transport Plan
A roughly year-long full closure between Cottbus and Lübbenau will bring bus replacements and extended train routes starting this December.
The railway section between Cottbus and Lübbenau is scheduled for a full closure lasting approximately one year, starting December 13 of this year and running through December 11, 2027. Officials from the Berlin-Brandenburg transport association (VBB) and the railway announced details of the replacement transit concept, which aims to modernize the infrastructure to eventually achieve a half-hourly direct connection between Cottbus and Berlin.
At the heart of the temporary transport concept is the extension of the RE20 line. While these trains typically operate only between Berlin, BER Airport, and Lübbenau, they will continue past Lübbenau through Calau to Cottbus during the construction period. According to the VBB, this detour ensures that Cottbus maintains a direct hourly rail link to Berlin, though travel times will increase by roughly 15 minutes.
This route adjustment allows connections at Cottbus main station to remain intact at the top of every hour, including services toward Forst, Spremberg, and Görlitz. Meanwhile, the RE2 line from Nauen will terminate exclusively in Lübbenau for the duration of the project.
To cover the gap between Lübbenau and Cottbus, an hourly bus replacement service will operate daily. Buses will run from Lübbenau between 5:00 AM and 2:00 AM, and from Cottbus between 3:00 AM and 12:00 AM. Commuters will be able to reach Cottbus station daily starting at 6:00 AM, with morning connections from Lübbenau accelerated to stop only in Vetschau to secure onward transfers.
The transit arrangements will face additional complexity during specific phases when construction occurs directly at the Lübbenau station. These periods are planned for December 13 to December 23 of this year, January 8 to January 15, and September 24 to October 1 of next year. During these windows, closures will expand to include Lübben, Lübbenau, and Calau, causing the RE2 to terminate early in Lübben and halting the RE20's extension beyond Berlin and BER.
During these intensive construction phases, the existing bus replacement services will be extended from Cottbus through Lübbenau to Lübben. An additional express bus line will connect the stations of Lübben, Lübbenau, and Cottbus, while a separate replacement line will secure the connection between Lübbenau and Calau.
Planning for the comprehensive replacement concept took approximately one year, according to VBB Managing Director Christoph Heuing. The Cottbus Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) expressed satisfaction that numerous local businesses from the Lusatia region are involved in building the second track.
Jens Krause from the IHK emphasized that local company involvement brings an economic stimulus to the region. Services such as clearing work, establishing construction roads, transport, and demolition are being handled by regional enterprises, generating local economic value and public acceptance for the project. Krause added that the second track will ultimately provide greater punctuality and reliability for the more than 10,000 daily travelers on the route.