Last bridge section of the Friesenbrücke successfully installed

A new milestone has been reached in the construction of the new Friesenbrücke over the Ems: a team of experts from Deutsche Bahn successfully installed the rotating section of the bridge last night. This rotating bridge section, along with the technical installations, forms the heart of the new Friesenbrücke. Upon completion, the bridge will be the largest rotating lift bridge for trains in Europe.


Photo: DB InfraGO / Phil Leon Pickert

Already on Tuesday, two tugboats had transported the approximately 1,800-ton, 145-meter-long movable bridge section on two barges from Papenburg to Weener, across the Ems. For this operation, the river's water level was temporarily raised.

Important link of the Wunderline

The new Friesenbrücke is an important link in improving the Wunderline route between Groningen and Bremen. After the modernization of the existing railway network, cross-border train services on the Wunderline will be faster, more reliable, and less susceptible to disruptions. Passengers will also experience shorter travel times. Deutsche Bahn is renewing the tracks, switches, overhead lines, and signals, among other things. At the same time, the rail route in the Netherlands is also being modernized and expanded.