Overcrowded trains and bridge closures: chaos in rail traffic around Oldenburg!

Overcrowded trains and bridge closures: chaos in rail traffic around Oldenburg!

The problems on the rails between Oldenburg and Bremen are increasing every day. Since the beginning of November, the railway bridge over the Hunte in Oldenburg has only been accessible on a single track. This not only leads to massive delays, but also to overcrowded trains, which have become a daily challenge for commuters. Matthias Handschuch, an affected commuter and member of the ProBahn passenger association, reports stressful situations in which passengers even had to get off because the train's axle load was exceeded. Getting on and off also takes longer, which further increases waiting times and thus delays. While the trains in Oldenburg themselves run relatively smoothly, the situation worsens with every station in the direction of Bremen.

Deutsche Bahn has taken responsibility for repairing the bridge and apologizes for the inconvenience. From Friday evening, December 6th, the Huntebrücke will be completely closed for three days. During the closure, a replacement bus service will be set up to relieve the burden on passengers. From Tuesday, December 9th, the bridge should be accessible on two tracks again, a glimmer of hope for travelers in the region.

Political efforts for long-term solutions

The current difficulties have attracted the attention of Mayor Jürgen Krogmann, who has been calling for the new construction of the bascule railway bridge for years. This demand was reiterated at the first rail conference in the Weser-Ems region in 2023. Krogmann expressed concerns about the bridge's frequent failures, which endanger both passenger and freight traffic to Oldenburg and Jade-Weser-Port. In a conversation with federal representatives in the summer of 2023, a report from Deutsche Bahn was also discussed, which gave the Oldenburg Hunte Bridge a school grade of 2.

Strangely, only minor renovation work is planned for the bridge until 2025, a strong indication that those responsible may not be taking the problem all that seriously. However, discussions with IHK President Jan Müller reinforced the importance of building a new bridge, which was highlighted as a central infrastructure project. There are efforts to include the project in the financing plans of the infrastructure funds.

Investments in infrastructure

At the national level, the federal government is planning to invest 166 billion euros in infrastructure by 2029. Of this, around 107 billion euros will flow into rail and support the renovation of dilapidated railway lines and motorway bridges. The infrastructure package also provides 52 billion euros for federal roads and 8 billion euros for waterways. These measures are expected to increase transport investments by around 60 percent compared to 2020-2024.

Deutsche Bahn has welcomed the additional financing volume, but is calling for sustainable commitments beyond 2027. In view of the planned general renovation of over 40 heavily used routes, including the busy Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim, the direction seems clear: punctuality and reliability should be improved in the long term. However, it is clear that construction sites and short-term restrictions for travelers will remain unavoidable.

The developments around the Hunte Bridge clearly show how important a timely and sustainable solution to the existing problems in rail traffic is. Only through targeted measures and the implementation of the required infrastructure projects can the situation for commuters improve in the long term. Bernhardt, talking about his daily journey, remains optimistic: “At some point those responsible have to have a good hand and get the bridges under control!”