On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Bonn’s municipal utility SWB pulled 60 of its 75 trams from service. The reason: irregularities in components discovered during a routine inspection. The trams are expected to be checked by next week, as reported by WDR.
The affected lines are 18, 63, and 68, which also run through Cologne, Hürth, Brühl, and Bornheim. SWB is banking on fewer passengers during the school holidays. Cologne’s transport authority KVB is lending 20 trams but is thinning out its own schedule in return—for example, Cologne’s line 5 will run with only one car. There will be no replacement bus service to avoid additional strain on the roads.
According to WDR, the damage is so severe that brakes and parts of the running gear could fail without warning. In addition, unauthorized components were installed and maintenance documentation is incomplete. SWB confirmed irregularities in components but not the details about unauthorized parts. The Düsseldorf district government is responsible as the technical supervisory authority.
Source: Tagesschau
