Recommissioning of the Hamburg-Berlin route

The Deutsche Bahn has announced the commissioning of the route between Hamburg and Berlin following the completion of corridor renovations in two phases: Starting from May 15, 2026, the first trains can operate again on the northern section from Hamburg to Hagenow Land. The full recommissioning of the entire route is planned for the minor timetable change on June 14, 2026, as stated by the company.

Infrastructure improvements

The renovation work includes a renewal of the infrastructure, which is intended to benefit passengers and freight customers. The measures involve the renewal of 165 km of tracks and nearly 250 switches. Additionally, six new transfer points have been created, six signal boxes have been built, and 19 have been modernized. These improvements are intended to not only increase the reliability of train services but also enable a higher frequency of rail connections.

Gerd-Dietrich Bolte, Board Member for Infrastructure Planning and Projects at DB InfraGO, commented in a statement on the delays, which he attributed to the „exceptionally strong and prolonged winter onset in northern Germany.“ He also added that the planned time buffers have been exhausted and thanked the affected travelers and freight customers for their patience.

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