Berlin–Hanover route closed to long-distance traffic — The Local Germany
Germany began a major reconstruction of the railway corridor between Berlin and Hanover on October 2. During the works, the route is closed to long-distance trains, and the modernization is planned to be completed in December 2027. As The Local Germany reports, the changes will affect passengers traveling between Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and other regions of the country.
Longer ICE and IC routes
ICE and IC trains that usually run on the direct line between Berlin and Hanover will be rerouted via Braunschweig or Magdeburg. This will increase journey times by approximately 60–80 minutes. Direct connections between Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia that used this corridor will also become longer.
Trains on the Amsterdam–Berlin route, which run four times a day, will temporarily travel via Hamburg, making the journey around 70 minutes longer. On routes between Frankfurt and Berlin, some services will be rerouted via Fulda and Erfurt, while some trains will terminate in Braunschweig without continuing to Berlin.
Trains replaced by buses
The changes will also affect regional transport. Buses will run instead of trains on certain sections. In particular, on weekends, passengers on the RE50 line between Hildesheim, Braunschweig and Wolfsburg, as well as the RE30 line between Hanover and Wolfsburg, will use buses on the Fallersleben–Wolfsburg section.
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Wolfsburg will temporarily lose long-distance train stops at least until the end of 2026. IC and ICE stops will also be suspended in Stendal. Service on the S4 line between Hanover and Hildesheim is planned to be suspended for the entire duration of the 2027 timetable. Deutsche Bahn said replacement buses would be accessible for passengers with reduced mobility and would have Wi-Fi, USB charging ports and passenger information systems.
What will be upgraded on the line
As part of the project, hundreds of kilometers of tracks, overhead lines, switches, signaling systems and noise barriers are planned to be upgraded. Around 25 stations are to be modernized, including improvements to lighting, wayfinding and step-free access to platforms and trains. Key works include replacing worn concrete track sections near Stendal and electrifying the parallel Lehrter Stammbahn line.
Work will also be carried out at night and on weekends. Deutsche Bahn recommends that passengers check the current timetable before every journey via the DB Navigator app or with local transport operators.
