Inspection of Components: Bonn Withdraws Majority of City Trams from Service

Another shock for commuters in Bonn – the municipal utility company has announced that as of today, 60 of the total 75 SWB city trams serving the city of Bonn and the Rhein-Sieg district (SSB), as well as electric trams, will be unable to operate. The trams are expected to be inspected until next week due to possible fatigue damage.

This morning, it is still relatively quiet at Bonn's main train station and the absence of the trams is not yet very noticeable. They are running regularly, though mostly with only one car instead of two. For now, there is still sufficient space for passengers.

"The situation is good. (...) Today we are able to offer all services, except for line 68."

Stefanie Zießnitz, SWB Press Spokesperson

The municipal utility company is also counting on the fact that fewer passengers are travelling during the holiday period, meaning the tram cars will not be as crowded. However, should things become tight, additional staff will be deployed at stations to guide passengers, according to the utility company.

Commuters Take It in Stride

Most passengers remain relaxed and some have not yet heard about the changes at all. "I'm optimistic that a tram will come shortly and I'll be able to get to work," one commuter told us in a WDR interview. However, delayed trams are also causing frustration in some cases. "The tram was supposed to leave 2 minutes ago, now it looks like it'll come in 10 minutes. (...) I'll see what happens," another commuter told us.

Inspectors Apparently Warned of Brake and Wheel Failures

There are safety concerns regarding older SWB trams. WDR sources are even speaking of dramatic damage to some trams – damage that led directly to the short-notice suspension of services. According to these sources, safety-relevant components on trams built between the 1970s and 1990s are affected. In addition to wheel damage, inspectors are said to have compiled a long list of further defects.

It appears they found that unauthorised components had been used and that work carried out on the trams has not been fully documented. There is a risk that brakes and parts of the running gear could fail without warning. The Düsseldorf District Government, as the responsible technical supervisory authority, is in charge of the matter.

Lines 18, 63 and 68 Affected

According to SWB, all 60 trams will be taken out of service simultaneously on Tuesday (21 July 2026). The lines, some of which also serve Cologne, Hürth, Brühl and Bornheim, will nonetheless be able to operate at their usual frequency, according to the utility company. However, the trams will be shorter, running with one car instead of two.

Lines 18 and 63 will be served by trams from Cologne's transport operator KVB. Line 16 already has a rail replacement bus service in operation, and line 68 will not run in the coming days due to lower demand during the holiday period.

KVB Steps In, Many Bonn Residents Unaware

WDR reporter Sebastian Tittelbach reported live from Bonn on Monday evening. He said many residents of Bonn had no idea of the upcoming restrictions. A scrolling ticker on the digital departure information boards, for example, was completely absent at the time of his report.

The Cologne public transport authority (KVB) will loan 20 of its light rail vehicles to replace some of the trains that are out of service. To do so, the KVB will thin out its own timetable slightly and is asking passengers for their understanding. "We have internally examined the extent to which this is operationally feasible and have found a solution that we consider justifiable for our passengers given the declining demand during the summer holidays," said KVB Chief Executive Marcel Winter.

As of now, line 5 in Cologne will only operate with a single car. In addition, line 18 will also only run at ten-minute intervals during morning and afternoon peak hours.

No rail replacement service

The Stadtwerke Bonn told WDR that they will not be setting up a rail replacement service for the affected trams. On the one hand, the SWB assume that with the KVB's support, the normal frequency can be maintained regardless. On the other hand, the Stadtwerke want to "cause less traffic on the already congested roads" and will therefore not deploy any additional buses.

Our sources:

- Press release from Stadtwerke Bonn

- Email correspondence with Stadtwerke Bonn

- Observations and research by the WDR reporter

- WDR interview with Stefanie Zießnitz, SWB press spokesperson

Broadcast: WDR Fernsehen, Lokalzeit aus Bonn, 20.07.2026, 7:30 p.m.

Broadcast: WDR Fernsehen, WDR aktuell, 20.07.2026, 9:45 p.m.