International train connection from Groningen to Leer returns

After almost 11 years, people can again travel by train from Groningen to the German city of Leer.

Services were suspended in 2015 after a cargo ship crashed into the Friesenbrücke, the rail bridge over the Ems on the German side of the border.

At Groningen central station, travelers lined up at 5:30am to catch the first train in over a decade.

The rebuilt Friesenbrücke is 335 metres long and is Europe’s largest lift-swing rail bridge. Its 145-metre central section lifts and turns to let ships pass.

The new bridge was opened in 2024, but needed additional testing before rail service could resume.

Regional Director Gerrit de Groot of Arriva, which maintains the rail service, told RTV Noord he was “delighted” with the reopening. “It is fantastic that, as a regional carrier, we are making international transport possible in this way. It is a wonderful moment,” he said.

The journey takes around 90 minutes. Arriva expects that they will see peaks of travel during the holiday season when people want to visit the Christmas markets across the border.