A defective signal box has stopped all long-distance and regional traffic in and out of Cologne's main train station, operators Deutsche Bahn announced on Thursday. Only a few suburban trains were able to run, and thousands of passengers were stranded.

Heavy rains overnight had created water damage in the station, officials said, and many parts would have to be replaced before the signal box was functional again.

Angry customers took to social media to complain that they were left with little information and no other options for travel.

A few long-distance trains would be rerouted through the Köln Messe/Deutz station on the other side of the river, Deutsche Bahn said.

Cologne's main station is among the busiest in Germany, seeing an average of 280,000 passengers a day.

The news was an unwelcome addition to a summer of travel disruptions. Long-term issues with train planning and infrastructure were compounded by increased train travel under the 9-euro ticket scheme to help deal with the rising cost of gas in Germany.

Delays and cancellations became a daily occurrence, and earlier this year Deutsche Bahn admitted that punctuality stats for long distance trains tumbled sharply in 2021, following flattering figures in 2020 amid vastly constrained travel and occupancy rates at the height of the pandemic. 

Edited by: Mark Hallam