Large railway renovation: trains between Hamburg and Berlin from August away!

Large railway renovation: trains between Hamburg and Berlin from August away!

Deutsche Bahn AG faces a huge task: from August 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026, the route between Hamburg and Berlin will be renovated. This extensive renovation, which includes a blocking of 278 kilometers, is intended to modernize the infrastructure and improve the reliability of rail traffic. [NDR] (https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/artikelvorlage-mv, General renovation-102.html) reports that daily traffic is strongly influenced by around 30,000 passengers during this phase.

The entire ICE route is completely blocked during the construction period. During this time, however, the connection between Schwerin and Berlin is maintained by a new direct connection Re85. It will be necessary to switch to replacement buses, because numerous train connections are either deleted or replaced by bus connections.

replacement traffic and restrictions

Both regional and long-distance transport are severely affected by the construction work. The regional express between Rostock and Hamburg will continue to be offered every hour, while the trains on other routes such as RE1 (Rostock-Schwerin-Hamburg) only drive to a limited extent. The railway plans to use around 170 purple -colored buses for replacement traffic, which will cover up to 86,000 km per day. [VBB] (https://www.vbb.de/unterwegs-im-vbb/baustelle-bei- Regional-und-sbahn/generalsanierung-2025-hamburg-berlin/) emphasizes that every passenger should be guaranteed when planning replacement traffic, even if the high demand is a challenge.

The modernization includes the renewal of 180 kilometers of tracks and 200 course and several overhead lines. In addition, 28 train stations, including Grabow and Boizenburg, are modernized. However, travelers have to expect extended travel times: for example, the travel time between Hamburg and Rostock can increase by one hour.

travel time extensions and compensation

comprehensive restrictions are accompanied by the construction work. Borrowing long -distance buses, carpools or cars are alternatives for commuters who want to adapt in the transition period. Deutsche Bahn has also announced compensation for delays of 25 % with one hour and 50 % from two hours delay. In this way, every passenger who is affected by the construction work can at least partially compensate for inconvenience. According to the integrated report 2024 The DB still has committed efforts to sustainably improve the infrastructure.

The renovation work is part of the S3 renovation program, which reacts to the challenges of the operational situation. The recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) are also used, which shows that Deutsche Bahn not only invests in its infrastructure, but also relies on sustainability.

For the travelers concerned, all relevant information about timetables and delays in the DB Navigator app and on the homepage of Deutsche Bahn can be viewed. We recommend using these resources to go into the travel time well.