Both mobility minister François Bausch (déi Gréng) and Luxtram general director André Von der Marck reiterated during a Monday press conference that the next phase of the tram linking Kirchberg and the Gare would indeed be completed on time, by December 2020. Von der Marck added that nearly all the works over the summer months had gone to plan and that this year the works would continue right up to the Christmas holidays. 

In order to accommodate the ongoing yet shifting construction, however, a number of adaptations are taking place to bus routes, effective 3 November.  

3 new Gare-Rocade platforms

Among the biggest changes are three new platforms at the Gare-Rocade, which promise to provide faster connections between regional buses and the centre and Kirchberg. Of course, the walkway linking the train platforms is only minutes away, for those opting to take the train onwards, for example, to the funicular that links to the red bridge tram stop.

Eurobus lines (144, 172, 192, 194, 195) are among the routes that will serve this new platform. Moreover, buses headed to Howald/Hesperange will depart from Gare-Rocade platform 4, those heading direction downtown or Kirchberg at platform 3. 

Lines 197, 300, 120 and 125--plus school line 968--will also stop along the Gare-Rocade.

Aim to ease Gare congestion

Avenue de la Gare and the Viaduc will open for bus traffic in both directions, which may ease some of the congestion between the main station and the Ville Haute. However, with the exception of bus line 19, city buses will no longer circulate along the Pont Adolphe.

A bus stop will also be added on the Boulevard Roosevelt, near the parking Saint-Esprit, which will serve traffic in both directions. The main station and Bonnevoie are expected to be better linked, given a reorganisation of bus stops around Wallis, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the Al Avenue stop will only serve lines 13, 14, 19 and 23, meaning some routes will no longer stop between the main station or Wallis and the new Roosevelt stop. 

Reorganisation around the Gare is also planned, with a number of city lines transferring platforms. In addition, some changes are aimed at improving currently underserved connections, such as line 7 (Bonnevoie-Kirchberg), 12 (Merl-Parc de l’Europe), 15 (P+R Bouillon-Hamm), 24 (Howald-Centre Hospitalier), 27 (Bonnevoie-Bertrange), 28 (Gare Centrale-Strassen), 29 (Cloche d’Or-Senningerberg), 70 (P+R Kockelscheuer-Hamm). 

Addition of 3 night bus lines

During Monday’s press conference, city alderman Patrick Goldschmidt also announced the addition of three new night bus routes in a bid to allow revellers, particularly youngsters, to be able to get home more easily on Fridays and Saturdays. 

The night bus lines, which currently run free of charge until 3:30am on those evenings, will soon start serving Hamm, Beggen, Dommeldange, Pulvermühl, Weimershof, Rollingergrund and Mühlenbach. It’s worth noting as well that a couple of the previously established lines have swapped numbers, so best to check in advance. 

For these and additional adaptations, including new times of arrivals and departures, consult mobiliteit.lu or newbus.vdl.lu.