COLOGNE-based transport authority Rhineland Local Transport (NVR) has begun the tender process to fully reopen the 30km Düren – Euskirchen via Zülpich line, located between Aachen and Bonn, from December 2020.

The five-year contract will represent around 161,000 train-km annually, with a two-hourly frequency planned at most times. From December 2023, NVR may increase the service frequency to hourly on a daily basis.

Passenger services on the line, which opened in 1864, ended in May 1983, although a local campaign to achieve re-opening has been underway since the late 1990s.

DB Network sold the 19.5km Düren – Zülpich section to Rurtalbahn in 2002 and regular summer weekend trains which began operation in 2007 between Düren and Euskirchen were initially supported by the campaign group and local authorities along the route.

Since December 2015, the weekend services have been officially supported by NVR and branded as route RB28 “Eifel-Bördebahn” as the start-up service prior to full re-opening. Rurtalbahn currently operates the weekend services and has operated the seasonal services since 2007.