Overview

• DB and the federal government agreed a year‑by‑year sequence for 42 high‑traffic corridors from 2028 to 2036, starting in 2028 with Köln–Koblenz/Koblenz–Mainz, München–Rosenheim, Hagen–Unna–Hamm, and Lübeck–Hamburg, and concluding with Flensburg–Hamburg in 2036.
• Each corridor will close fully for roughly six months during construction, after which the line is intended to operate for at least five years without further works.
• For 2026, DB plans renovations on Hagen–Wuppertal–Köln, Nürnberg–Regensburg, Obertraubling–Passau, and Troisdorf–Unkel/Unkel–Wiesbaden, with 2027 slated for Rosenheim–Salzburg, Lehrte–Berlin, Bremerhaven–Bremen, and Fulda–Hanau.
• Active projects continue on the Hamburg–Berlin route and on Emmerich–Oberhausen, following the earlier Riedbahn pilot between Frankfurt and Mannheim.
• Industry response is mixed, with the VDV praising progress but warning about unprepared detour routes, while Mofair welcomes clearer timelines yet notes unresolved questions.