Overview
- On Thursday DB chief Evelyn Palla said the company will reduce its annual pace to about two full‑closure corridor rebuilds, with a third only in exceptional technical cases.
- Palla said the revised Korridorsanierung concept is being finalised with the Bundesverkehrsministerium and will set new sequencing, financing limits and clearer post‑work performance expectations.
- Immediate operational effects are already set: the Berlin–Hannover corridor will close for about 14 months with long‑distance trains rerouted from October/December and journey times extended by roughly 80 minutes.
- DB points to lessons from early pilots—project delays, cut scopes, late digital upgrades and post‑reopening faults such as a discovered weakened bridge—and says annual throughput will be tied to the federal Sondervermögen budget.
- The slower tempo makes the previously stated 2036 completion target uncertain, is drawing regional political pushback over lost services, and will see DB invest more in pre‑conditioning diversion routes and planned post‑reopening 'Hochlauf' phases to limit repeated disruptions.