CFL sets a record for passengers and investment

2024 was a historic year for Luxembourg's national railway operator, CFL (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois). According to the annual report, the company's trains carried 31.3 million passengers, up 9 per cent on 2023. This is not only a new record, but also a testament to the growing confidence in rail transport as the main way of travelling within the country.

The daily load on the network is up to 1,000 trains and 276,000 seats. The Luxembourg-Esch-Rodange line was the busiest with 9.9 million journeys. In second place was the Luxembourg-Ettelbrück-Trouavierge-Gouvy route with 6.8 million, but it was the Luxembourg-Wasserbillig-Trier line that showed the highest growth of 18 per cent.

Accuracy also improved slightly, with 90.8 per cent of trains arriving on time (compared to 90.1 per cent in 2023). At the same time, 264 days of the year were spent on infrastructure works, which only emphasises CFL's achievements in the face of constant network renewal.

One of the main factors for success was massive public funding: €336.5 million was invested in railway infrastructure, and according to Allianz pro Schiene, Luxembourg ranks first in Europe in terms of per capita investment in railways at €512 per year.

Key projects include the modernisation of Rodange station, the development of the Howald transport hub, the reconstruction of Luxembourg Central Station and the construction of the new Luxembourg-Bettambourg line.

In response to the growth in passenger traffic, CFL is increasing its fleet: last year, six Coradia trains and 10 Traxx MS3 locomotives were put into service for freight transport. By the end of 2025, the number of Coradia will reach 34 units, increasing seat capacity by 46 per cent.

In parallel, the company is expanding its Flex car service, a carsharing service with 70 stations and 155 vehicles, of which 30% are electric cars. The service is used by 20,341 customers in 2024, 28.6% more than in 2023. CFL is thus becoming not just a railway but a full-fledged sustainable mobility operator.

CFL remains one of the country's largest employers with 5,199 employees. Last year, the company received more than 25,000 job applications, indicating a growing interest in the profession and the company's attractiveness in the labour market.

An example of an integrated approach was the analysis of accuracy on the Rodange-Troisvierges line. In 2022, a collapse in the Schiebourg tunnel caused disruptions, but performance began to improve once restoration work was completed. Similarly, on the southern section, where extensive work was carried out at the main station in the summer of 2024, accuracy is gradually recovering.

CFL's record performance is the result of a strategic vision, sustainable investments and modernisation that make rail transport in Luxembourg not only convenient and precise, but also environmentally friendly. The country is betting on sustainable mobility - and this bet, judging by the figures, is starting to bear fruit.