Gear up for Planes, Trains and Stadtschnellbahns! The incredible Rhine Railway has linked Troisdorf and Cologne via both the impressive Gremberg yard and the Hohenzollern Bridge since 1874. Today this line is part of the S-Bahn network out of Cologne Hbf, with the S12, S13 and S19 lines working this section.

Since the concept of a Cologne-Frankfurt High-Speed railway was proposed, a brand-new loop of track was included to allow both Inter-City Express and S-Bahn services to link rail and air, providing frequent services to and from Cologne Bonn Airport. The new 15km loop saw its first services in 2004, with the S13 line diverted to frequent the line and bring rail traffic to the airport and vice versa.

You’ll be amazed as you pull into the new station built at Cologne Bonn Airport. Grand in its own right and buried underground, this station is capped off with an overarching glass roof, allowing light to shine down onto the 400m long island platforms. The S13 Line, combined with the S19 which also operates along the loop, provides a 24/7 service between Cologne Hbf and the airport itself.

The eastern S13 Line out of Cologne Hbf to Troisdorf, including the new airport loop, will bring all-hour commuter operations to life for you, and of course shows off the simply iconic city of Cologne and its almighty cathedral which towers over the railway. In addition, the expansive complex that is Gremberg Marshalling Yard, a site of significant freight importance, can be yours to explore today!