The outlook is far from encouraging, but it’s important to acknowledge Deutsche Bahn's effort to meticulously plan one of the most challenging and impactful infrastructure projects on the European railway network. From 1 August 2025 to 30 April 2026, the Hamburg-Berlin corridor—an essential axis for northern Germany and its port connections—will undergo an extensive upgrade. Eight months ahead of the scheduled shutdown, Deutsche Bahn has already awarded initial construction contracts, with the final, less significant tenders expected to be allocated by April 2025.
Spanning 278 kilometres, the Hamburg-Berlin railway is part of an ambitious overhaul of Germany's core rail network. By 2030, forty rail corridors will be completely refurbished, following the model used for the Riedbahn, the line between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim, which closed for five months starting 15 July 2024. The Hamburg-Berlin project involves replacing 180 kilometres of track and approximately 200 points (switches), as well as upgrading communication systems to increase line capacity and reduce conflicts between passenger and freight trains—currently a frequent cause of delays.
As part of this comprehensive renewal, the European Train Control System (ETCS) will be implemented. In tandem with this technological upgrade, Deutsche Bahn has decided to extend ETCS signalling to the Berlin-Buchen line (via Leipzig and Erfurt) to eliminate the costs associated with maintaining both the existing analogue system and the new digital technology. Looking further ahead, the Hamburg-Berlin line will be equipped with radio antennas for the future FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System), which will eventually replace the current GSM-R standard.
Deutsche Bahn’s overarching aim is to avoid further major maintenance works for several years across the network, thereby reducing delays and capacity constraints. During the nine-month closure, rail services will be diverted to alternative routes, leading to longer journey times across all train categories. However, Deutsche Bahn has assured that, despite inevitable delays, freight connections between Germany's northern ports and inland destinations will remain operational. Meanwhile, the Frankfurt-Mannheim line, closed since July, is set to reopen by mid-December 2024. The project included an almost complete renewal of the track infrastructure, the replacement of 150 points, 140 kilometres of overhead electric lines, and the digitalisation of its signalling and safety systems.
Piermario Curti Sacchi
