The official start of construction for the modernization and expansion of the Wunderline, the train connection between Groningen and Bremen, was given on Friday, December 1. The connection will be optimized through rail improvements and the construction of the new Friesenbrücke railway bridge over the Ems river. The Wunderline will stimulate rail traffic between the Netherlands and Germany, giving a significant boost to the region and forming an important link in the European rail network between Amsterdam and Hamburg to Scandinavia.
Groningen – Bremen in less than two and a half hours
The 173-kilometer rail connection between Bremen and Groningen connects northern Germany with northern Netherlands. Thanks to adjustments to the track, the train journey for passengers will be faster and more comfortable. From the 2025 timetable, the Wunderline will reduce the travel time for passengers between Groningen and Bremen to less than two and a half hours.
“With the expansion of the Wunderline, we are not only setting an example for climate-friendly cross-border rail transport, but we are also creating a faster, more comfortable, and more environmentally friendly connection between Bremen via Leer to Groningen,” said Ute Plambeck, Minister of Transport of Lower Saxony. “At the same time, the expansion of the line will strengthen the economy and tourism in the region and make more mobility by rail possible in rural areas.”
Boost for the region
In addition, the Wunderline is an important link in the European rail network from Amsterdam to Hamburg and Scandinavia. Work is also being done to improve the accessibility of stations, logical connections to other modes of transportation, and the quality of stay at stations along the railway.
“Wunderline and Friesenbrücke are the long-awaited cross-border connections between Germany and the Netherlands, a major boost for the entire region, the province of Groningen, and all municipalities along this railway,” said Hans Schrikkema, provincial secretary of the province of Groningen. “I am pleased that both countries now also have a better connection to the European rail network towards Amsterdam and Copenhagen. This means that people in the region will in the future be able to travel not only faster and more comfortably between Bremen and Groningen, but also reach destinations further away by train more easily.”
The Wunderline project is estimated to cost €1.2 billion and is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
