High-speed bypass line Düren
The line from Köln to Aachen is a main international route, recently upgraded for the Thalys to Paris. The 42 km from Köln to Düren was upgraded for a maximum speed of 250 km/h, and the S-Bahn services separated (4-track with some 3-track sections). The remaining 36 km to Aachen were upgraded for speeds of 160 km/h or 140 km/h, but without additional tracks. There, the high-speed trains share tracks with regional trains (RE 1 Aachen-Hamm and RE 9 Aachen-Siegen), with the euregiobahn diesel units between Stolberg and Aachen, and with freight trains – a typical result of inadequate funding.
The proposed by-pass line would diverge from the existing line out of Aachen, near its crossing with the A44 autobahn, east of Eilendorf station. It would turn north-east to the A4 autobahn, and then follow it north of Eschweiler, Langerwehe and Düren. Near Arnoldsweiler it would turn away from the autobahn, to rejoin the existing line north of Merzenich. The alignment is not difficult, since it follows existing infrastructure, although in some places the A44 autobahn curves too sharply for a precisely parallel alignment. The line is approximately 28 km long, has no intermediate stations, and would be used only by high-speed trains on the route Aachen-Köln, including possibly inter-regional express services. Existing line in green, new line in red:
