The BME began construction of its new line from the site of the current Gruiten station.

Today the route separates from the line from Wuppertal nearly two kilometres earlier at Linden junction.

The BME subsequently extended its track across the CME track and ran down the bank of the Rhine to a new terminus at Deutz BME station, north of Deutz CME station opened for passenger traffic on 1 February 1872.

It is also served every 30 minutes between 5am to 8pm by Regionalbahn RB 48 Rhein-Wupper-Bahn, stopping at all stations between Wuppertal-Oberbarmen and Cologne, continuing every hour to Bonn-Mehlem.

Additional InterCity trains also operate between Cologne and Hamm on IC lines 31 and 55 every 2 hours.