The construction work on the Hamburg‑Berlin railway line is taking longer than originally planned. Weeks of frost and snow in northern Germany are impeding progress in the corridor’s rehabilitation, Deutsche Bahn announced on Monday.
Weather conditions have prevented several tasks since the end of December. “We are dealing with the strongest winter break‑in since more than 15 years” complained InfraGO board member Gerd‑Dietrich Bolte. A reopening of the line by 30 April is no longer feasible as scheduled.
Frozen cable ducts and partially frozen ground make it impossible to lay cables for signalling and control systems, and, in some sections, the soil frost extends to a depth of 70 cm. Work on the overhead line, the installation of switch‑gear and signalling equipment has also been stalled for weeks due to the weather.
Once the severely frozen ground thaws completely, the displaced tasks will need to be rescheduled. The site crew will be significantly increased once temperatures allow further work. By 13 March a revised concept for re‑commissioning is expected. The goal is to find a solution that is acceptable both for passengers and freight operators.
However, the Deutsche Bahn warns that the extensive rehabilitation planned from 1 May on the Hamburg‑Hanover route could interact with the Hamburg‑Berlin line. “Those measures would need to be rescheduled if the timetable for the Hamburg‑Berlin line is adjusted, so that detour plans for long‑distance and freight traffic between Germany’s two largest metropolises continue to function” the company said.