Months-Long Construction on Key Rail Route Between Hamburg and Berlin

Longer travel times and diversions await train passengers on the popular northern route

Construction work on the rail route between Hamburg and Berlin will lead to diversions and extended travel times. Despite the inconvenience, Deutsche Bahn emphasizes the necessity of the upcoming work.

Major construction works set to begin in August

 A major construction project is planned for the rail route between Hamburg and Berlin. Deutsche Bahn has announced that from August 16th to December 14th, 2024, a total of 100 switches and 74 kilometers of tracks will be renewed. With 230 ICE, regional, and freight trains, and up to 30,000 travelers per day, the route between the capital and Hamburg is one of the most important city-to-city connections in Germany.

Longer travel times and diversions

The effects of the planned works will be noticeable. Long-distance traffic will have to be rerouted, leading to longer travel times. Regional and freight traffic will also be affected. During the extensive construction works in autumn and winter 2021, long-distance traffic was diverted via Stendal and Uelzen, which resulted in an additional 30 minutes of travel time. The exact amount of time loss travelers will have to face next year has not yet been announced by the railway company, as the schedules are still being drawn up.

No postponement to 2025 possible

The Hamburg – Berlin route is scheduled for a major overhaul in 2025. It will be closed again this year from June 6th to December 13th. However, according to Deutsche Bahn, the upcoming work cannot be postponed to 2025. “There are clear deadlines for infrastructure maintenance. That’s why the construction measures have to take place next year,” it was stated.

The impending construction works, although inconvenient, are a necessary measure to maintain the infrastructure and prepare for the planned major overhaul of the route in 2025.

This post is also available in:
English