Overview

• DB now targets the December 2029 timetable change for opening the new long‑distance and regional station at Diebsteich, a two‑year slip from the 2027 plan.
• A contamination check found asbestos and lead at the Kreuzungsbauwerk Langenfelde, making demolition more complex under strict legal requirements.
• Prerequisites cited include activating the electronic interlocking at Altona, adapting three additional signal boxes, securing specially trained inspection engineers and arranging possession windows.
• The project budget is currently estimated at €550–600 million with financing stated as secured, though costs may adjust as further contracts are tendered.
• Passenger services will continue at the existing Altona terminus with ongoing renovations, selected works advance such as barrier‑free S‑Bahn access at Diebsteich next year, and VCD Nord urges interim bus improvements by 2027.