Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois

Not to be confused with the Canadian Football League.
Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL)
Company typeGovernment-owned corporation
IndustryRail transport
Founded14 May 1946
HeadquartersLuxembourg City, Luxembourg
Area served
Luxembourg, parts of Belgium, France, Germany
Key people
Jeannot Waringo, President
Marc Wengler, Director-General
ProductsRail transport, Cargo transport
RevenueIncrease €1.073 billion (2022)[1]
Increase €4.4 million (2013)
Decrease €13 million (2022)
Owner94% Luxembourgish state, 4% Belgian state, 2% French state
Number of employees
Increase 5,000 (2023)[2]
WebsiteCFL
Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois
CFL Class 2400 train in Luxembourg.
Operation
National railwayChemins de Fer Luxembourgeois
Statistics
RidershipIncrease 28.7 million (2023)[2]
Passenger kmIncrease 388.8 million (2022)[1]
FreightDecrease 2,438 million tonnes kilometres (2022)[1]
System length
Total630 km (391 mi)
Double track140 km (87 mi)
Electrified574 km (357 mi)
Track gauge
Main1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
High-speed1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification
25 kV 50 Hz AC576 km (358 mi)
Map
Map of the Luxembourgish rail network

The Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (French pronunciation: [sɔsjete nasjɔnal de ʃəmɛ̃ də fɛʁ lyksɑ̃buʁʒwa], Luxembourg National Railway Company, abbreviated CFL [seɛfɛl]) is the national railway company of Luxembourg. In 2023, it carried approximately 28.7 million passengers. As of 2023, the company employs around 5,000 people, making CFL the country's largest corporate employer.[3]

The Luxembourg rail system comprises 275 route-kilometres (170 miles), of which 140 kilometres (87 mi) is double track and 135 kilometres (84 mi) single track. Of the total track length of 617 kilometres (383 mi), 576 kilometres (358 mi) are electrified at 25 kV, 50 Hz.[4]

Luxembourg borders Belgium, France and Germany. Correspondingly, there are cross-border services into these countries. Some are wholly run by CFL, whereas others are run by SNCF, NMBS/SNCB and DB. CFL passenger trains cover most of the network.

CFL operates most of its passenger trains using EMUs and electric locomotives with push-pull stock. The company also has a fleet of diesel locomotives for hauling freight trains and for general shunting purposes.

Luxembourg is a member of the International Union of Railways (UIC). The UIC Country Code for Luxembourg is 82.

History

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Main article: History of rail transport in Luxembourg

CFL is the result of a nationalisation of private railway companies in 1946.

CFL operations and services

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Passenger train routes

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CFL advertises its passenger network as made up of seven lines:[5]

  • Line 10 Luxembourg – Troisvierges-Frontière – Liège (Belgium), Kautenbach – Wiltz and Ettelbrück – Diekirch
  • Line 30 Luxembourg – Wasserbillig-Frontière – Trier (Germany)
  • Line 50 Luxembourg – Kleinbettingen-Frontière – Brussels (Belgium)
  • Line 60 Luxembourg – Esch-sur-Alzette – Rodange, Bettembourg – Volmerange-les-Mines (France), Noetzange – Rumelange and Esch-sur-Alzette – Audun-le-Tiche (France)
  • Line 70 Luxembourg – Rodange – Athus (Belgium), Rodange – Longwy (France)
  • Line 90 Luxembourg – Thionville (France) – Metz (France) – Nancy (France)

Internally it uses a different system with more sub divisions:[6]

  • Ligne 1 Luxembourg – Troisvierges-Frontière, 1a Ettelbruck – Diekirch, 1b Kautenbach – Wiltz
  • Ligne 2a Kleinbettingen – Steinfort, 2b Ettelbruck – Bissen
  • Ligne 3 Luxembourg – Wasserbillig-Frontière via Sandweiler-Contern
  • Ligne 4 Luxembourg – Berchem – Oetrange, 4a Luxembourg - Alzingen
  • Ligne 5 Luxembourg – Kleinbettingen-Frontière
  • Ligne 6 Luxembourg – Bettembourg-Frontière, 6a Bettembourg – Esch/Alzette, 6b Bettembourg – Dudelange-Usines (Volmerange), 6c Noertzange – Rumelange, 6d Tétange – Langengrund, 6e Esch-sur-Alzette – Audun-le-Tiche, 6f Esch-sur-Alzette – Pétange, 6g Pétange – Rodange-Frontière (Aubange), 6h Pétange – Rodange-Frontière (Mont St. Martin), 6j Pétange – Rodange-Frontière (Athus), 6k Brucherberg – Scheuerbusch
  • Ligne 7 Luxembourg – Pétange
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All neighbouring countries have 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge railways, but only France uses the same electrification of 25 kV AC:

Ridership

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Passenger ridership carried on CFL-trains for each fiscal year (x 1000).[7][1]

  • 1938: 9,505
  • 1950: 10,607
  • 1960: 10,643
  • 1970: 12,531
  • 1980: 14,053
  • 1990: 12,692
  • 2000: 12,985
  • 2006: 14,793
  • 2007: 16,442
  • 2008: 17,676
  • 2009: 17,039
  • 2010: 17,996
  • 2011: 18,200
  • 2012: 19,834
  • 2013: 20,714
  • 2014: 21,503
  • 2015: 22,496
  • 2016: 22,459
  • 2017: 22,930
  • 2018: 23,331
  • 2019: 25,016
  • 2020: 14,500
  • 2021: 16,600
  • 2022: 22,000
  • 2023: 28,700

Passenger kilometers on CFL-trains for each fiscal year (x 1,000,000).[7][1]

  • 1938: 215
  • 1950: 227
  • 1960: 230
  • 1970: 256
  • 1980: 302
  • 1990: 261
  • 2000: 332
  • 2006: 298
  • 2007: 233
  • 2008: 345
  • 2009: 333
  • 2010: 347
  • 2011: 349
  • 2012: 373
  • 2013: 385
  • 2014: 409
  • 2015: 418
  • 2016: 417
  • 2017: 438
  • 2018: 443
  • 2019: 463
  • 2020: 269
  • 2021: 304
  • 2022: 389

Rolling stock

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Most CFL-services are operated with modern double-decker trains, such as these Class 2200.

CFL owns a relatively modern fleet of passenger trains, with a majority of double-decker trains. Nearly all routes are operated with electric trains.

Projects

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In 2019, doubling of track between Luxembourg railway station and Sandweiler-Contern at a cost of €462 million was completed, following an original planned 2013 opening.[8] A new, more direct, line between Luxembourg and Bettembourg is due to open in 2027.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Rapport annuel 2022 du Groupe CFL" (in French). CFL. 12 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Les CFL ont transporté 28,7 millions de voyageurs en 2023" (PDF). CFL. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Les principaux employeurs au Luxembourg d'après l'éffectif au 1er janvier 2023". Statec (in French). 20 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Luxembourg Railway Network Statement 2023" (PDF). acf.gouvernement.lu. 22 November 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  5. ^ "CFL | Réseau & Gares". www.cfl.lu. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  6. ^ "RESEAU FERRE LUXEMBOURGEOIS, DOCUMENT DE REFERENCE 2008" (PDF) (in French). Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois. 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  7. ^ a b "Trafic voyageurs (rail et route) 1938 - 2019 (version révisée)". statistiques.public.lu. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  8. ^ "€462m rail link hopes to ease Luxembourg traffic flow". Luxembourg Times. 12 June 2019.
  9. ^ "CFL | New line Bettembourg – Luxembourg". groupe.cfl.lu. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

Further reading

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