Hello Leipzig: This is how Friday 13 November 2026 kicks off the weekend

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Two world-famous Leipzig natives are performing in their hometown alongside their bandmates. Which will be more exciting: the concert-goers or the other road users? One thing’s for sure – there’ll be a big bang on Sunday. And because a positive climate can help reduce extreme weather conditions, there’s a fitting day of action today. There’s also plenty of action on the regional transport network, so do keep an eye on the special timetables!

Because climate is about more than just the weather

Whilst representatives from numerous countries are discussing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to climate change and the financing of climate protection measures in poorer countries at the UN Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Turkey, Fridays for Future is calling for a nationwide day of action today.

Protests have been announced in more than 70 cities, including Leipzig. Here, the demonstration begins at 3 pm on Simsonplatz in front of the Federal Administrative Court. Following the opening rally with speeches, a protest march is set to set off at around 3.30 pm. The Leipzig branch of Fridays for Future has announced that the route will take the march via Leuschner-Platz, Peterssteinweg, the Markt, Grimmaische Straße and Augustusplatz to Johannisplatz. A closing rally with live music from the Leipzig band Ufonia is scheduled to take place there from around 4 pm.

The nationwide day of action is themed “#PayYourClimateDebt”. With this, Fridays for Future is calling in particular for the fulfilment of international funding commitments for climate protection and climate adaptation in countries particularly affected. The movement also criticises the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement to date. The organisers are publishing information on the Leipzig event at fffleipzig.de; nationwide dates are available online HERE.

Former teen idols rock Leipzig

Their biggest hit is the perfect match for this dreary weather! Tokio Hotel are coming to Leipzig today as part of their “Arena Tour 2026”. The concert at the QUARTERBACK Immobilien ARENA (Sportforum 2) starts at 8 pm and, according to the organiser, is due to end around 10.20 pm – although the average age of the audience is likely to have adjusted over the years to match the permitted finishing time for concerts. Doors open at 6.30 pm.

For travel to and from the venue, the organisers and Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) recommend using public transport. Following explicit confirmation by the LVB, admission tickets also serve as travel tickets for local public transport in fare zone 110 (Leipzig). The so-called combined ticket entitles the holder to travel on the relevant transport services from four hours before to four hours after the event.

Visitors should note the LVB or MDV markings and the validity details on their ticket. Journeys beyond the Leipzig fare zone are not automatically included. The Arena can normally be reached via tram lines 3, 7, 8 and 15, alighting at the Sportforum Süd stop. It can also be reached via the Waldplatz and Marschnerstraße stops.

Current timetables are available online HERE. Motorists should bear in mind that parking facilities directly at the Arena are limited and that there are roadworks in the surrounding area. The Arena therefore recommends the city’s Park-and-Ride facilities, e.g. the free Lausen Park-and-Ride car park with 400 spaces, from which there are tram connections to the Sportforum. Payment for parking spaces directly at the Arena can only be made by card!

The band Tokio Hotel was formed in 2001 in the Magdeburg area, initially under the name Devilish, and consists of singer Bill Kaulitz, his twin brother Tom Kaulitz on guitar, bassist Georg Listing and drummer Gustav Schäfer. The band achieved their breakthrough in 2005 with the single ‘Durch den Monsun’, which topped the charts in both Germany and Austria. The Kaulitz brothers were born in Leipzig in 1989, the year of German reunification, before moving to Magdeburg with their mother following their parents’ separation.

According to the international music platform Music Made in Germany, the group has sold more than ten million records worldwide. Among their most significant awards are the Echo for Best Newcomer in 2006 and the MTV Video Music Award in the ‘Best New Artist’ category in 2008. In addition, they have received numerous gold and platinum awards, as well as undertaking international concert tours, through which Tokio Hotel have built up a large fan base outside Germany too.

3, 2, 1… boom: Saxony watches the Mulde bridge go

For decades, it bore the weight of thousands of vehicles day and night – from Trabis to heavy goods vehicles. Now, on Sunday, part of the old Mulde Bridge on the A14 near Grimma is to be demolished. And this work will have a significant impact on traffic: between the Grimma and Mutzschen junctions, the motorway will be completely closed in both directions from 9.45 am until approximately 3 pm.

The diversion will be via the S38 and the B107 and will be signposted accordingly. Several roads in the vicinity of the bridge are also affected. The S11 between the Golzern junction and Schmorditz will remain closed from 8.00 am until approximately 12.00 pm. Similarly, the local road between Bahren and Trebsen will be temporarily closed to traffic in connection with the demolition.

Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs und -bau GmbH (DEGES) points out that, for safety reasons, the blasting cannot be observed directly on site. A safety zone with a radius of 300 metres will be established around the structure, which is expected to remain off-limits until 11.30 am. Drone flights are also prohibited within this area. Those interested can instead follow the demolition via an official live stream on the internet!

The live stream will begin on Sunday at 10.45 am and is scheduled to show the demolition at 11.00 am from several camera angles. The broadcast can be accessed directly ONLINE HERE.

The operation will not involve the complete removal of the existing Mulde Bridge, but will initially focus on a section approximately 223 metres long to the west of the river. The two sections are each 13.5 metres wide and reach a height of up to 25 metres. Around 4,200 tonnes of material must be brought down to the ground for each superstructure, including approximately 750 tonnes of steel and 3,450 tonnes of concrete.

The structure is to collapse as vertically as possible onto a pre-laid fall bed of mineral material. This preparation serves, amongst other things, to protect the road link between Bahren and Trebsen, which runs beneath the bridge. Only after the demolition and the subsequent safety checks can the motorway be reopened to traffic.

The old Mulde Bridge dates from the early 1970s and has thus formed part of the motorway link between Leipzig and Dresden for more than five decades. The structure consists of two separate steel-concrete composite superstructures. Since German reunification, traffic volumes have risen significantly, particularly due to the increase in heavy goods traffic. Added to this were the damage and risks resulting from the Mulde river floods in 2002.

Despite repeated repairs, the long-term safety of the bridge could no longer be guaranteed. Consequently, since October 2022, it has been replaced by a new structure commissioned by the federal government. During the works, traffic will be gradually diverted onto new bridge structures. Construction of new piers and abutments is scheduled to begin as early as February 2027. The first section of the new northern steel superstructure is due to be moved into place in the summer of 2027. DEGES currently expects the entire replacement project to be completed in 2029. Autobahn GmbH publishes the latest traffic updates at https://www.autobahn.de/betrieb-verkehr/verkehrsmeldungen.

Disruptions to regional rail services

This weekend, construction work on several railway lines in the Leipzig region will once again result in train cancellations, altered journey times and replacement services. Both Regional Express services and connections on the Central German S-Bahn network are affected. On the RE 15 line between Leipzig and Naumburg (Saale) Hauptbahnhof, work on signalling and safety systems on Saturday and Sunday will lead to timetable changes and cancelled stops.

Further construction work will affect S-Bahn services until 4.00 am on Monday 16 November. On the S1 line, services between Leipzig Central Station and Leipzig-Miltitzer Allee will be cancelled. The S3 line is affected by train cancellations between Leipzig Central Station and Halle (Saale) Central Station. Rail replacement services have been announced for both lines.

Train cancellations are also scheduled on the S6 this weekend. The use of replacement buses may result in longer journey times and changes to departure points. Passengers should therefore check the latest connections, particularly if they are planning to change trains. The MDV provides information on timetable changes and replacement services on its website at www.mdv.de/app/stoerungen/. Specific departure times and individual train cancellations should be checked online HERE using the relevant construction-related timetables before setting off.