Truck crash damages Essen bridge, disrupts rail links into Saturday
A truck collision in Essen-Frillendorf damaged a railway bridge on Friday, forcing Deutsche Bahn to close the Essen-Gelsenkirchen line and reroute three regional services. The closure was lifted Saturday afternoon, but speed restrictions remain.
What caused the damage
On the afternoon of 24 July 2026, a truck struck a railway bridge in the Essen-Frillendorf district. The police confirmed the collision, which left the bridge structurally compromised. The exact extent of the damage was not immediately disclosed. The WAZ newspaper first reported the accident that triggered the subsequent rail disruption.
Immediate service changes on Friday evening
Deutsche Bahn reacted by closing the line between Essen Hauptbahnhof and Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof on Friday evening. Three regional services were affected: the RE2, RE42 and S-Bahn line S2. Trains on the RE2 and RE42 were diverted via Essen-Altenessen between Gelsenkirchen and Duisburg, skipping all intermediate stops on the normal route. The RE42 service from Münster was terminated at Wanne-Eickel Hauptbahnhof, while the S2 from Dortmund ended its journey at Essen-Kray Nord. Between Gelsenkirchen and Essen main stations, a bus replacement service was set up. At that point, DB stated it was unclear when the line could reopen.
Saturday reopening and ongoing speed limits
By Saturday afternoon, the closure had been lifted, according to the regional transport portal zuginfo.nrw. Normal routing resumed, but trains are still forced to travel at reduced speed in the affected section. The portal reported for the RE2 and RE42:
Die Züge fahren im betroffenen Bereich langsamer. In der Folge kommt es zu Verspätungen und Teilausfällen.
The S2 service was no longer listed as disrupted on Saturday afternoon, suggesting that its earlier suspension may have been partly or fully resolved, though no formal confirmation was given.
What comes next
Deutsche Bahn has not yet published a timeline for fully restoring normal operations. The bridge must undergo structural assessment and possible repairs before speed restrictions can be removed. Until then, passengers on the RE2 and RE42 between Essen and Gelsenkirchen should expect delays and some cancellations.
- Truck collides with railway bridge in Essen-Frillendorf
- Deutsche Bahn closes the Essen–Gelsenkirchen line, detours and bus replacement set up
- Line reopens but speed restrictions cause delays and partial cancellations on RE2 and RE42
