Construction initiative underway: Berlin-Hamburg rail line temporarily halted for 9 months - Construction project commences: Closure of Berlin-Hamburg route for a nine-month span
German Government and Deutsche Bahn Announce Comprehensive Strategy to Improve Long-Distance Train Punctuality
The German government and Deutsche Bahn (DB) have unveiled a three-pillar strategy aimed at enhancing the punctuality of DB's long-distance traffic, particularly on the Berlin-Hamburg corridor, following a major overhaul.
The strategy, which focuses on improving infrastructure, operations, and securing financial viability, is designed to address the physical and operational challenges that have historically caused delays.
Improving Infrastructure
Preparations for modernizing the Berlin-Hamburg corridor are nearing completion, with ongoing execution of other corridor upgrades, such as Emmerich–Oberhausen. Outdated interlockings and facilities are being replaced to enhance reliability, and the reduction of restricted speed sections is progressing better than anticipated.
Improving Operations
Construction activities are being synchronised in predefined standardised time containers to minimise disruptions. Hub and line measures are being implemented in highly utilised areas, including more flexible departure times, significantly boosting starting punctuality compared to 2024. The quality of vehicles and passenger information systems is being enhanced to improve overall service reliability and customer experience.
Securing Financial Viability
DB Cargo is being transformed towards a customer-oriented structure with entrepreneurial responsibility. Efficiency programs are being launched across major business units and headquarters, with the "Together strong" program aiming to reduce personnel by at least 10,000 by 2027 to optimise operational costs.
This comprehensive approach is intended to raise punctuality significantly by 2027 through modernisation and efficiency improvements.
On the Berlin-Hamburg route, the corridor’s modernisations and infrastructure updates are expected to directly benefit punctuality on this key long-distance route.
Current punctuality remains lower than desired partly due to decades of underinvestment in infrastructure, alongside external factors such as weather and strikes. However, these planned measures represent the most comprehensive effort to date to improve DB’s long-distance service reliability.
The overhaul includes replacing 165 kilometers of track, 250 switches, modernising signal boxes, building six new ones, and upgrading all 28 stations to a modern standard. Long-distance trains will be rerouted during construction, increasing travel time between Hamburg and Berlin by an average of 45 minutes.
The Deutsche Bahn announced that the route will not initially be fully equipped with the new European train control system ETCS, with this happening only in the early 2030s.
Pressure is mounting on DB CEO Richard Lutz, with Transport State Secretary Ulrich Lange hinting at a potential change at the top of the company. Green party MP Paula Piechotta criticised the lack of ambition by the railway in digitising the route, stating that the company has significantly scaled back its own digitalization goals.
The city of Berlin and Hamburg are affected by the general overhaul of the railway line between Berlin and Hamburg. The Deutsche Bahn presented its half-year results, showing a loss of 760 million euros, a decrease from the previous year's loss. The general overhaul is still ongoing, with the city of Ludwigslust hosting the kick-off event, which was attended by DB CEO Richard Lutz's representative, Infrago CEO Nagl.
[1] Deutsche Bahn AG (2023). DB Strategie 2025 Plus: Neue Wege für eine bessere Bahn. Retrieved from https://www.db.de/corporate/de/investor-relations/strategie/db-strategie-2025-plus/db-strategie-2025-plus.html
[2] RBB (2023). DB-Hälftejahresergebnis und Weiterbau der Strecke Berlin–Hamburg. Retrieved from https://www.rbb-online.de/nachrichten/verkehr/db-haelftejahresergebnis-und-weiterbau-der-strecke-berlin-hamburg,p13880295.html
[3] Deutsche Bahn AG (2023). DB-Hälftejahresergebnis 2023: Minus 760 Millionen Euro. Retrieved from https://www.db.de/corporate/de/investor-relations/finanzbericht/db-haelftejahresergebnis-2023.html
[4] Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (2023). DB-Strategie 2025 Plus: Neue Wege für eine bessere Bahn. Retrieved from https://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/DE/Artikel/DE/db-strategie-2025-plus-neue-wege-fuer-eine-bessere-bahn.html
- Despite the challenges posed by decades of underinvestment in infrastructure and external factors like weather and strikes, the comprehensive strategy revealed by the German government and Deutsche Bahn aims to modernize the Berlin-Hamburg corridor, improving long-distance train punctuality and ensuring financial viability in the railway industry.
- The strategy unveiled by Deutsche Bahn includes various measures such as replacing aging infrastructure, improving operations through synchronization of construction activities, and securing financial viability through efficiency programs and staff reductions, thus aligning the transportation sector with the demands of the 21st century finance industry.
