Deutsche Bahn (DB) will complete the maintenance and renewal work on the Hamburg-Berlin high-speed line as planned on December 14. Since August 16, 2024, DB had replaced more than 74 kilometers of tracks and renewed 100 switches to keep the line robust and efficient.
“The high-speed line between Hamburg and Berlin is one of the busiest railway lines in Germany – and therefore heavily used. The four-month maintenance measures were unavoidable in order to continue to ensure stable operations at high speeds. My thanks for the strong and punctual performance go to our DB teams and all partners involved. We are now turning all our attention to the general renovation next year, with which we will comprehensively modernize the rail infrastructure and the stations in one go,” Dr. Philipp Nagl, CEO of DB InfraGO AG, said.
With 230 trains and up to 30,000 passengers per day, this route between the two largest German cities is one of the most important direct city connections. From December 15, long-distance trains will run as usual and almost every half hour between Hamburg and Berlin and will also stop again in Büchen, Ludwigslust and Wittenberge. The diversion via Uelzen and Stendal will no longer be necessary.
With around 60 direct journeys between the two metropolises, the railway is well prepared for the expected high demand around Christmas and New Year. In addition, the first new ComfortJet trains of the Czech Railways are in use on this route, connecting Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden and Prague every two hours during the day without having to change trains. They are gradually replacing the older Eurocity carriages. Regional and freight traffic is also running as usual again.
There were also restrictions for local and long-distance passengers between Hamburg and Schwerin during the construction work. The route is now open again as planned with the completion of the construction work.
Other construction measures implemented during the closure:
- Modernization of the Sude Bridge between Hagenow Land and Schwerin
- Second track in the station area in Hagenow Land, which increases capacity and reliability on the Hamburg–Schwerin route and creates the conditions for the Deutschlandtakt
- Further construction of the Ludwigslust railway overpass
- Extensive modernization measures at Schwarzenbek station such as a platform extension, a renovation of the main platform, a new platform roof, additional weather shelters and a tactile guidance system for improved accessibility
- Partial dismantling of the superstructure of the so-called slab track between Dergenthin and Wittenberge and replacement by a ballasted superstructure
Hamburg-Berlin general renovation
This year’s construction work was necessary so that trains can continue to travel at full speed on the Hamburg-Berlin route. Due to the technical condition of some systems, the work could not be postponed. The comprehensive general renovation of the Hamburg-Berlin route is now scheduled for August 2025 and the end of April 2026.
During these nine months, DB will bundle all necessary additional work on tracks, switches and overhead lines, create more flexibility in operations by providing additional overtaking opportunities for trains and upgrade the stations. It will also renew the control and safety technology and expand the connection to the innovative mobile communications route with gigabit data rates on the train so that travelers can make calls and surf the internet between Hamburg and Berlin in the best quality in the future.
During the work from August 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026, travelers and goods will reliably reach their destination. DB will provide information on the details of the transport concept at the beginning of next year.
The general renovation of the Hamburg-Berlin route is part of the overall S3 program for the structural renovation of the DB Group over the next three years. A total of around 1,500 kilometers of track are to be fundamentally modernized by 2027. The aim is for DB to become more punctual, reliable and profitable again through the general renovation and other measures. This creates a stable basis for the further growth path of the Strong Rail Group strategy and DB is making its contribution to the federal government’s transport and climate policy goals.
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