Suche
Mein Konto
Twice decision! ICE route Hanover-Bielefeld on the verge of a breakthrough?
Deutsche Bahn is planning a new ICE route from Hanover to Bielefeld to improve travel times, despite protests from citizens' initiatives.
Twice decision! ICE route Hanover-Bielefeld on the verge of a breakthrough?
Today, Deutsche Bahn has finalized its plans for the new ICE route between Hanover and Bielefeld, and there is exciting news! How NDR reported that of the original twelve route variants, only two remain. These two variants run from Seelze via Bad Nenndorf and lead north past Stadthagen and Bückeburg before continuing via Porta Westfalica towards Bielefeld.
In Vlotho the routes are split: The first option, the so-called variant V3, leads past Bad Salzuflen, while the V4 variant runs via Herford. It is interesting that extensive tunnel construction work will be necessary for both variants. Ute Plambeck, Deutsche Bahn's representative for Lower Saxony, emphasizes that the preferred option is getting closer.
A look at the challenges
However, there are also critical voices. A citizens' initiative is protesting against the new route because they fear negative effects on the environment, agriculture and the local population. Instead, she calls for the existing Minden-Hannover route to be expanded, which the railway rejects. In addition, numerous test drillings have had to be carried out along the potential lines in recent months, some of which residents find stressful.
The citizens' initiative has also called for a recalculation of the Germany clock, a traffic concept that is precisely tailored to this new route. This Germany clock aims to reduce the travel time between Hanover and Bielefeld to around 31 minutes and at the same time double the capacity for additional trains on the important axis between Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia WDR.
Citizen information in focus
Deutsche Bahn is also planning information events to inform the population about the planned course. These information markets are scheduled for the region in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia and will take place on several dates in January 2026:
- 19. Januar 2026, 17 Uhr, Bielefeld
- 20. Januar 2026, 17 Uhr, Porta Westfalica
- 21. Januar 2026, 17 Uhr, Herford
- 22. Januar 2026, 17 Uhr, Stadthagen
- 23. Januar 2026, 17 Uhr, Seelze
- Termin für Bückeburg steht noch aus.
The railway points out that the project has great national significance and is part of the Deutschlandtakt, which comes into play as a long-term solution to the bottlenecks in long-distance and freight transport. According to initiative-deutschlandtakt The new connection is intended to not only shorten travel times, but also double the number of travelers and increase freight traffic. An ambitious project that brings with it both opportunities and challenges.