Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois

Not to be confused with the Canadian Football League.

The Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (French pronunciation: [sɔsjete nɑsjɔnal de ʃ(ə)mɛ̃ də fɛʁ lyksɑ̃buʁʒwa]; Luxembourg National Railway Company; abbr. CFL [seɛfɛl]) is the national railway company of Luxembourg. In 2024, it carried approximately 31.3 million passengers. As of 2023, the company employs around 5,000 people, making CFL the country's largest corporate employer.^[4]

Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois (CFL)

Company type	Government-owned corporation
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	14 May 1946; 79 years ago (14 May 1946)
Headquarters	Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Area served	Luxembourg, parts of Belgium, France, Germany
Key people	Jeannot Waringo, President Marc Wengler, Director-General
Products	Rail transport, Cargo transport
Revenue	€1.073 billion (2022)[1]
Operating income	€4.4 million (2013)
Net income	€13 million (2022)
Owner	94% Luxembourgish state, 4% Belgian state, 2% French state
Number of employees	5,000 (2023)[2]
Website	www.cfl.lu

Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois
CFL Class 2400 train in Luxembourg.
Operation
National railway	Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois
Statistics
Ridership	31.3 million (2024)[3]
Passenger km	388.8 million (2022)[1]
Freight	2,438 million tonnes kilometres (2022)[1]
System length
Total	630 km (391 mi)
Double track	140 km (87 mi)
Electrified	574 km (357 mi)
Track gauge
Main	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
High-speed	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification
25 kV 50 Hz AC	576 km (358 mi)
Map Map of the Luxembourgish rail network

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.^[5]

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

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

Passenger train routes

CFL advertises its passenger network as made up of seven lines:^[6]

• 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:^[7]

• 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

Rail links to adjacent countries

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:

• Belgium – change to 3 kV DC
• France – same voltage and current
• Germany – change to 15 kV AC

Ridership

Passenger ridership carried on CFL-trains for each fiscal year (x 1000).^[8][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).^[8][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

Most CFL-services are operated with modern double-decker trains, such as this Class 2300.

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

• CFL locomotives and rolling stock

Projects

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.^[9] A new, more direct, line between Luxembourg and Bettembourg is due to open in 2027.^[10]

Fares

CFL trains are free of charge, with the exception of first class.^[11]

See also

• CFL Cargo Denmark
• Trams in Luxembourg
• Transport in Luxembourg
• Train categories in Luxembourg