Cologne Central Station almost completely closed Nov 14-24, '25

So I am traveling Nov 22 from Frankfurt to Cologne - and it looks like the HBF will be closed - DB says to change my routing. I have a couple of questions as I am staying in a hotel right by the station.
1. I bought a flexpreis ticket since I am flying in from the US on the 22nd - and wanted to account for any delays. Do I need to actually change my itinerary, or can I just show my original ticket and take the train to the Messe station?

1. What is the easiest way for four jet lagged peopled (including a 6 year old) to get to our hotel? Are they taxis readily available that could take the four of us (and our luggage)?

2. I could go to the Ehrenfeld station - then backtrack via the S Bahm to the HBF- not sure what sort of connection time I would have thou (Not sure if those are running at full capacity with the construction)

luckily our train out is on the 25th - so hoping that the work is done by then - currently our ticket is still saying it is.

thanks!

edit- will the s bahn (11 and 12) be running from Messe to the HBF? If so, will my original ticket be valid on this train if I change it to Messe (not sure if I even have to do that - per question #1)

edit 2- my train from Cologne to Strasbourgh has also been changed due to a different reason - I was to connect in Offenburg- and that is no longer an option- the only 1 connection option is in Mannheim- but when I try changing I get this message "Note
We do not currently check whether your ticket or seat are still valid on the alternative connection. For more information, please check the current Deutsche Bahn conditions of carriage" But I also have a message "ou can now also use your ticket for other trains – at no extra charge." - same question- do I go ahead and change my ticket or just travel on this one and make note of the best option?

but previously I see

Do I need to actually change my itinerary, or can I just show my original ticket and take the train to the Messe station?

Most reliable info shall be given by Deutsche Bahn. I guess you will be fine with your existing ticket.

In Cologne I recommend switching to U-Bahn (subway) at station Köln Messe/​Deutz, see Cologne KVB network map. Be aware that you will need KVB tickets for this. KVB website can also help you finding best journeys in Cologne.

Good luck!

Thanks mark - I see I can take the S-bahn from Messe to HBF- are you saying I need to buy that ticket? or does my original DB ticket cover that short ride since there was a change?

I plan on buying a 48 hour pass for the four of us- but I don't want to start that pass until late that night or the next AM.

So I am traveling Nov 22 from Frankfurt to Cologne

Are you traveling from Frankfurt Hbf or Frankfurt airport? All the trains I see at the DB site say you will now stop at Koeln Messe/Deutz, then S-Bahn to Koeln Hbf. Just stay with that on your existing ticket. Where is your hotel? The U-Bahn might be your best option if your hotel is not walking distance from Koeln Hbf.

Your original DB ticket would only be valid I think because S-Bahn belongs to Deutsche Bahn. I am not sure the S-Bahn will continue operations to Hbf although they communicated they will.

If you take the subway you will need a single trip ticket from KVB if the DB ticket does not include City-Ticket option.

Better check with DB service if your train will stop at Cologne-Ehrenfeld or Messe/Deutz station as a replacement.

Do I need to actually change my itinerary, or can I just show my
original ticket and take the train to the Messe station?

Your original ticket will be good, and that would even have been the case had it been a non-flexible one. Tickets are actually for a route, not a train. Your ticket will show an origin, and a destination, and a period of validity (usually a day). And in case of non-flexible tickets the "train binding" is listed separately. But train binding is mooted when the schedule changes.

And usually if you need alternative means to get to your station the ticket will be valid for that too. Here it is easy, as S-Bahn is also part of the German Rail system. But even if you would have been required to take a bus or a tram there would be an arrangement in place permitting you to use them.

Just use www.bahn.de or de DB navigator app to find what the next connection to Cologne Central is, and just take that.

Traveling from airport in Frankfurt. Staying at lindner dom. So a 5 minute walk from HBF

I know I was rambling earlier. But second question now is. (Unrelated to the HBF closure so I can start a second thread if necessary)

Originally booked Koln HBF (slated to be open on the 25th) to offenbueg to Strausbourg. Now I can’t do that for some reason. DB website says I can travel any train, then has a link to check connections. I can now connect through Mannheim to Strasbourg. My question is that the second leg in each situation is on a French train. Does that change the need actually change the ticket or not? I tried to message DB but their website kept giving me an error. I can try again later.

The trains are German till Strasbourg (even if they are labeled TGV), so your second leg is always on a German train. But cross border ICE and TGV do indeed require reservations. The others do not. The Offenburg - Strasbourg trains for example do not require reservatrions, so your original ticket will not have one.

I am seeing normal service from Koeln on the 25th. What is it that you originally booked?

Note that DB has the habit to send you confusing emails even if your schedule only changed by 1 minute...

@WengenK
To clarify - the closure until the 24th is not my issue (at least yet unless it is extended)
Originally booked on Nov 25th from Koln HBF to Offenburg via ICE 105 then same ticket to Strasbourg on SWE RS4 (german local train)

DB is saying that trip is no longer possible - when playing around on the website- it appears the train simply no longer continiues on Offenburg, instead it stops at Mannheim (like it did previously) then on to Karlsruhe where it terminates. So I need another option. If trying to book from scratch it gives me options with ICE followed by two local trains or ICE followed by TGV leaving from Mannheim- I understand I would need a new ticket to do this.

I booked super saver- not sure if that allows me to completely cancel due to the changes (I doubt it).

I also could continue with my original reservation and get of at Karlsruhe then book a separate TGV ticket - this would cost me out of pocket the fare (about 30 euro per person).

I tried to submit via the contact form on DB- but the website isn't working. I found a couple of email address to DB and sent an email- but no idea who they are going to.

if you will accept 2 transfers, you can take an ICE to Mannheim, then an ICE to Offenburg, then the regional train to Strasbourg. No seat reservation required. If you want to stick with only a single transfer, the ICE or TGV from Mannheim to Strasbourg and buy a seat reservation for 5.50 EUR for 2nd class, a bit more for 1st. You can still use the old ticket as DB changed the schedule, not you.

BTW, You can buy a single seat reservation and it will include the train from Cologne to Mannheim and the train from Mannheim to Strasbourg.

thanks sam- for your option 2 - I can't seem to find a way to do that on the app (buy a seat reservation on the TGV train) - is there a way to do that online?

Ok. You can stick to your original plan. Take ICE 105, then change to RE2 to offenburg, then take the RS4 there. The DB planner will suggest you change in Appenweier (because that is the shortest distance) but there is nothing there. Better change in Offenburg. Since your original ticket was via Offenburg you are allowed to do that. No need for extra reservations.

Add a stopover in Offenburg to get find these solutions on Bahn.
(In your place I would probably leave Köln on the EC9 while it still runs the Rhine route. Next year that train moves to the HSL).

If you want to take a TGV you have an issue.
- The TGV is operated by DB till Strasbourg, so till then you will have a German conductor.
- But the reservations are handled by the SNCF, and their system cannot really deal with add on reservations for NRT tickets. (SNCF is in a race with RENFE for the crown of "least competent railway in Europe"). So while you can select "reservation only" on the DB site you will only be able to reserve the ICE, not the TGV

So you will have to go to a ticket office to sort you out if you want to do it that way.