Deutsche Bahn to Close Berlin-Hamburg High-Speed Rail for Nine-Month Overhaul

The 280-kilometer route, one of Germany's busiest, will undergo extensive modernization starting August 2025, with buses and detours planned to mitigate disruptions.

The Berlin-Hamburg rail line, used by 30,000 daily passengers, will be closed from August 2025 to April 2026 for a comprehensive renovation.
Deutsche Bahn will deploy 173 buses across 26 routes to provide replacement services, covering up to 86,000 kilometers daily.
The project includes replacing 180 kilometers of track, 200 switches, and upgrading 28 stations, with an investment of €2.2 billion.
High-speed trains will be rerouted, adding at least 45 minutes to travel times, while regional commuters face significantly longer journeys.
Modernization efforts aim to improve reliability and efficiency, including the installation of new passing points and partial implementation of the ETCS signaling system.