Germany is working on a major overhaul of its rail network, the so-called “Generalsanierung”. Its third modernisation project is due to start tomorrow, 1 August, on the Hamburg-Berlin railway. It is among the busiest sections of rail in the country, and will cause many diversions in the coming months.
The entire project is planned to last until the end of April 2026. The Hamburg-Berlin railway will get a complete overhaul: 165 kilometres of redone tracks, repairs on 61 kilometres, 249 new switches and new overhead lines on shorter sections. Moreover, six additional transfer points will be installed that will allow passenger trains to overtake freight trains.
Lastly, Germany is preparing for the introduction of the communication system FRMCS and will build communication towers along the railway to facilitate that.
Diversions, but port access guaranteed
Construction work on the Hamburg-Berlin line does not come without its problems. It is an important line for freight traffic, especially for hinterland traffic from the Hamburg port. Up to 90 freight trains run on the railway daily. Those will need to find a different route to their destinations for the entire 9-month modernisation period.
According to Deutsche Bahn, some trains may be diverted via Uelzen and Stendal, to the south of the Berlin-Hamburg railway. However, diversions via Rotenburg (Wümme) and Verden (Aller) are also planned, a route which passes by Hanover and Magdeburg. Trains to Rostock can go via Neustrelitz. “Accessibility to the German ports for freight transport by rail is thus guaranteed even during the construction work”, writes Deutsche Bahn.
A lack of oversight
Not everybody is so positive about the upcoming closure. For example, private rail freight association Die Güterbahnen remains concerned about financial damages for the sector. “This is the largest rail shutdown this country has ever seen. It is causing massive delays for passengers and the freight industry, as well as multimillion-dollar losses”, commented Peter Westenberger, Managing Director of the association. “Just one of our member companies expects 50,000 euros in additional operating costs in the first week alone due to the detour routes.”
The association is highly critical of the lack of oversight of the modernisation project. It points to DB InfraGO’s “formulaic pseudo answers” to inquiries about its construction works. “The fact that DB is acting largely autonomously and free from oversight in a major project like this with a budget of €2.2 billion must end”, the association says.