Hello Leipzig: Here’s how Friday 3 July 2026 gets underway LVB Update

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Following the suspension of S-Bahn services due to construction work, people’s understanding is giving way to growing anger. Will the holidays bring some relief to the public transport system? For schoolchildren, the holidays begin today with discounted entry to the outdoor swimming pools. In Rosental, the popular ‘Klassik airleben’ festival gets underway, with the Gewandhaus Orchestra performing free of charge. The city’s cleaning department is hosting a birthday celebration for its ‘Wiederschön’ project.

Public transport chaos due to tram and S-Bahn suspensions

Following the shock of the tram service suspension, there was a great deal of understanding across the city. People adapted as best they could, switching to bikes or cars, forming car-shares, or choosing alternative routes that worked via the S-Bahn or bus. Respect was shown to the emergency services who tackled the nasty bitumen beast; passers-by called out “thank you” across the street, and volunteers came forward to help with the clean-up operations.

The cause of it all was a bitumen-based joint sealant which had swelled along the approximately 150 kilometres of track last weekend due to the extreme heat. This caused the rails, points and the trams’ undercarriages to stick together. Safe operation could no longer be guaranteed (as reported by the LZ
).

No one is happy with the situation anyway. But since 1 July, anger and despair have been mounting. The reason for this is not even the trams themselves. The S3 and S30 suburban rail services, which were already heavily utilised due to the tram lockdown, have suspended operations.

A statement reads: “From July 2026, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be renovating the Pittlerstraße and Linkelstraße railway bridges in Leipzig-Wahren. The bridges, which are over 100 years old, are reaching the end of their technical service life and will be replaced by new structures. To allow for the demolition of the old structures and the installation of the new bridges, the S3/S30 S-Bahn line between Leipzig-Slevogtstraße and Schkeuditz must be closed from Thursday 2 July until Saturday 10 October 2026. DB Regio and Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) have developed a comprehensive plan for rail replacement services (SEV) to ensure passengers reach their destinations reliably despite the restrictions.”

But things do not seem to be working as reliably as claimed in the statement. The comments sections on social media are full of reports of completely overcrowded vehicles, people panicking, and passengers being crammed together like sardines. The S5, currently the only service towards Halle, runs too infrequently. One Facebook user writes: “Understandably, there’s little inclination to squeeze onto the train, into carriages where the doors aren’t working…” A resident of Leipzig’s Gohlis district describes his experience: “Now things have really gone pear-shaped. Since the S3 was cancelled, only the completely overcrowded S1 runs through Gohlis. The LVB haven’t managed to get a single tram running here.”

The picture that is emerging does not suggest any effective coordination between Deutsche Bahn

and the transport operators. Perhaps the start of the school holidays will bring some relief and ease the pressure. The more reliable solution would be effective coordination between the companies concerned. There may be talk of this in the rare public statements, but in the bitter reality faced by citizens reliant on public transport, there is clearly no sign of it.

The sobering reality: After six days of hard graft – during which tracks and engines had to be thoroughly cleaned – only nine individual sections of the LVB

’s rail network are back in operation. Disruptions caused by the cancellation of S-Bahn services are further worsening connections for passengers. And there is no sign of any gesture towards the public – such as offering a week of free travel once the chaos has been overcome, or even waiving the next fare increase.

Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe is currently

publishing updates on further route reopenings on its website

and via the LeipzigMOVE mobile app.

Top marks for all schoolchildren

Oh dear! There are marks on those school reports that nobody really wants to see. Never mind – today is the last day of school, and then the summer holidays begin. Recharge your batteries, reflect, and make a fresh start. Things will look much better next year.

And because holidays and energy are important for all pupils, Leipzig’s outdoor swimming pools are giving every schoolchild an ‘A’ today. Quickly take your school reports home and then head straight to the outdoor pool – for just ONE EURO. Right up until the last minute. The campaign’s slogan is ‘No matter what your school report looks like – you’re number one here!’.

Martin Gräfe, head of the sports pools, says: “The last day of school is something special, and for us the summer holidays begin with a dip in the cool water or a great day at our facilities. With our school report promotion, we want to give all pupils a carefree start to the holidays.” According to Leipzig’s public swimming pools, the offer is valid today during regular opening hours at the Schreberbad, the Kleinzschocher outdoor pool, the Schönefeld outdoor pool, the Südost outdoor pool, the Lindenthal eco-pool and the Robbe children’s outdoor pool. Pupils should show a valid pupil ID card on request; standard admission prices apply to adults.

Rosental becomes the Gewandhaus Woodstock

Fans of the blend of high culture and light-hearted relaxation have something to look forward to this evening. The “Klassik airleben” festival kicks off again at 8.30 pm in Rosental. The Gewandhaus Orchestra will open the first of two concert evenings on the open-air stage at 8.30 pm; the second will take place the following day, also at half past eight. Admission is free on both days; no tickets are required.

This long-standing open-air festival has been held since 2009 and marks the conclusion of the Gewandhaus Orchestra’s concert season. It is also regarded as Leipzig’s largest open-air classical music festival and ranks among the summer’s most popular cultural events.

Under the theme ‘From Britain with Love’, this year’s programme will feature works by Georg Friedrich Handel, Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Benjamin Britten, Frederick Delius, Carl Maria von Weber and Gustav Holst, amongst others.

Following a last-minute change, Vasily Petrenko will take over as musical director, with Malte Arkona presenting the programme. By offering this free event, the Gewandhaus aims to make classical music accessible to as many people as possible, regardless of age or income.

On Saturday, a free family afternoon will also begin at 4 pm in the IMPULS family area, featuring instruments to try out, workshops and short concerts. As experience has shown that large crowds are expected, the organisers recommend arriving early. Many guests bring picnic blankets or folding chairs and take their places on the lawn well before the concert begins.

It’s still working

There it is, the fan. It’s given up the ghost. But really, all it needs is a new screw thread or spring. The experts at “Wiederschön” deal with this and similar problems. The concept shop of the same name in the Höfe am Brühl is now celebrating its second birthday. To mark the occasion, Stadtreinigung Leipzig is hosting a programme of events today from 12 noon to 6 pm, featuring live upcycling workshops, a repair café for electrical appliances, vinyl bingo, music, a wheel of fortune and the chance to meet the creative minds represented in the shop.

Visitors will also receive a 20 per cent discount on products from the shop’s tenants. The concept shop opened in May 2024 and forms part of Leipzig’s zero-waste strategy, ‘Mein Leipzig schon’ ich mir’. Across an area of around 550 square metres, companies, initiatives and Leipzig’s city cleaning service are showcasing offerings centred on reuse, repair and sustainable consumption.

The concept is based on the guiding principles of ‘Reduce’, ‘Repair’ and ‘Rethink’ and is complemented by a sales area where the City of Leipzig’s waste management service offers salvaged and reusable items from recycling centres. According to the city, the project has become well established over the past two years.

It is reported that between 200 and 500 people visit the shop every day. Regular upcycling and repair workshops are in high demand. There are now ten permanent external tenants and twelve pop-up vendors based there. The city’s waste management department sees the project as a model for the local circular economy and, at the same time, an example of the transition from a traditional waste management operator to a resource manager.