Finally back in the squirrel sprint: Hamburg-Berlin in under 2 hours!

Finally back in the squirrel sprint: Hamburg-Berlin in under 2 hours!

Commuters between Hamburg and Berlin can breathe a sigh of relief! After four months of construction work, the important railway line between these two metropolises has finally been reopened. From December 15, 2024, travelers can now use the regular connection and reach their destination in under two hours. The construction work included the renewal of more than 74 kilometers of tracks and 100 switches as well as the creation of new crossings such as the Northern Courier reported.

Important connection for commuters

With up to 30,000 passengers daily, the Hamburg-Berlin route is one of the most used in Germany. Before the return to service, many travelers had to resort to replacement rail services and longer diversions, which caused dissatisfaction daily news determines. The closure particularly affected ICE connections and regional train connections between other cities, which put a significant strain on commuter traffic.

New problems lie ahead

But the joy of the reopening will only be short-lived. Extensive renovation work is planned again from August 2025, which will completely block the route for nine months. Among other things, new transfer points and a modern train control system are to be installed. Critics warn of the consequences of these additional closures because the construction work is not being carried out optimally, as EVG chairman Holger Herzog explains. Deutsche Bahn justifies the plans and justifies the lack of work with the current high costs, although it already indicates that further work will be necessary in the coming years.