Cities are demanding new construction of the railway line: the future of mobility in the north!

Cities are demanding new construction of the railway line: the future of mobility in the north!

On November 7, 2025, representatives of the cities of Hanover, Hamburg and Lüneburg met for a press conference in Hanover to jointly formulate an urgent appeal for the construction of a new railway line between Hanover and Hamburg. Mayor Belit Onay of Hanover, Hamburg's Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks and Lüneburg's Mayor Claudia Kalisch agreed: The expansion of the existing route does not meet the requirements. Instead, a new building is essential to improve the north-south connection and support the transport transition, as luene-blog.de reports.

The traffic forecasts are alarming. The Hanover-Hamburg route is currently overloaded with a capacity utilization of 147 percent, which signals an urgent need for action. “A new ICE route is a central component for future mobility and makes commuter life easier,” emphasizes Onay. Tjarks adds that a better connection to the southern Hamburg metropolitan region is only possible with at least two additional tracks. With the new building, Deutsche Bahn would also shorten the travel time between the two cities by 20 minutes.

The challenges of the status quo

But not everyone is convinced of the need for a new building. Critics point to a compromise from 2015 that envisaged expanding the section between Lüneburg and Uelzen. However, an additional track would only increase capacity by around 20 percent and would not eliminate the existing bottlenecks and delays. “The new building is considered necessary to relieve pressure on the existing route and create capacity for regional transport,” said Kalisch. The discussion, which has been going on since 1962, remains complex and characterized by different positions.

The decision about the route now lies with the Bundestag. Deutsche Bahn expects a decision to be made at the end of 2025 or beginning of 2026. However, the state government of Lower Saxony is rather critical of the new planning initiative and is sticking to the original plan. “We have to weigh up all options and keep an eye on nature and the needs of the regions,” said a spokesman for the state government.

Future-oriented mobility

The examples and arguments from the cities show how important it is to create a sustainable connection in northern Germany. With increasing passenger numbers and an ever louder call for a new rail connection, the air is thin. The congestion on the existing route is already having a negative impact on the quality of life of commuters. However, the actors agree: only with a new building can mobility in the north be sustainably secured and improved.

Citizens can therefore expect an exciting decision that could not only affect their daily commutes, but also revitalize the region's economic development. The discussions about the future of rail connections are keeping us all on our toes.