Deutsche Bahn announced on Wednesday that the Hamburg‑Berlin line will again be fully available for regular traffic only on 14 June after a major overhaul.
The reopening plan is staged in two phases. Beginning 15 May, trains will resume service on the finished northern section from Hamburg to Hagenow Land. This permits the existing timetable to remain unchanged for services running from Hamburg toward Schwerin and Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania. The entire route will be re‑commissioned with a minor timetable adjustment on 14 June.
Initial plans slated the full reopening for 1 May. However, persistent frost and a near‑continuous snow cover since early January have hampered progress. Deutsche Bahn has since increased staffing on the construction site to make up for the resulting lag. Over the next few weeks the remaining tasks include final assembly of signalling and safety equipment, installation of the overhead line, a software update at the Schwerin signal box, and extensive station‑related work.