A station & funicular under red bridge by 2017

In parallel with the the start of tram roadworks in Luxembourg City, announced for 2014, the government plans to start another major project: the construction of a railway station in Pfaffenthal under the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge (red bridge) connected by a funicular to Kirchberg, 30 metres above.

The aim is that the funicular train and tram line open at the same time, planned for 2017.

Already surfacing as a possibility a few months ago, the construction project for a station under the red bridge was officially presented on Monday morning by the Minister of Sustainable Development, Claude Wiseler.

Connection to Kirchberg

The purpose of this train station will be to improve rail connection to Kirchberg. It will make life easier especially for commuters arriving by train from the north. They will no long need to travel to Luxembourg's central station before doubling back on themselves via bus or the future tram in order to finally reach the business district.

According to the minister's calculations, travellers taking the train from Dommeldange (the Troisvierges line), getting off at Luxembourg station and then taking the tram to get to Luxexpo in Kirchberg, will take 32 and a half minutes. Thanks to the Red Bridge stop, a commuter doing the same journey should only need 19 minutes by taking the new funicular and tram.

Trains from the south also stop under the red bridge

But this station will also benefit those from the south and Arlon, in Belgium. Trains coming from these areas routinely terminate at Luxembourg Gare. Once the new station is open they will continue as far as the station under the red bridge.

The only commuters not able to take advantage of the new station, will be those travelling from Trier. This is due to the fact that only trains passing by Syren (about one per hour) will be able to continue to the new stop.

A funicular up to Kirchberg

From there, a funicular will be waiting to take passengers up to Plateau Kirchberg. The government has been hesitating for a while as to whether a giant escalator could be an option. However, this would take six minutes for passengers to travel the 240 metres as opposed to one minute, 10 seconds for the funicular.

In addition, an escalator would require the construction of a lift for disabled, prams and bicycles, the price eventually approaching the same costs as the funicular. Eventually the decision to opt for a funicular was taken.

A cost of 93.25 million euros

An estimated price tag of 59 million euros for the funicular added to the cost of the new train station at 34.25 million brings the total project bill to 93.25 million euros. Not to mention the new tram stop "Fort Olizy" to be constructed at the foot of the European Investment Bank, which will be added to the total bill.

Completion expected in 2017

"The project also functions theoretically without the tram," said Claude Wiseler, but at the same time noting that the funicular will be designed to clear 1,200 people to and from the new station in ten minutes.

"Imagine the number of buses needed to transport these people once they are in Kirchberg" stated Wiseler. To him it is clear that this project must go hand-in-hand with the tram. Therefore the two projects should be started together in 2014 and end together in 2017, at least that's the theory.

Line to Findel abandoned

As for the train route originally planned from Kirchberg passing by Findel, the minister, without saying so explicitly, made it clear that this project is for now at least, postponed indefinitely.

Note: A funicular is NOT a cable car as some other press is reporting. It is a small train up the hillside on tracks, pulled by cables. A cable car hangs from cables above.