Timetable changes in long-distance transport at a glance
The hourly ICE line Kiel/Hamburg – Hanover – Kassel – Frankfurt and then to Karlsruhe – Zurich or Stuttgart will be diverted between Hamburg and Hanover via Rotenburg (without stops) with an extension of the journey time by approximately 20 minutes. As a result, the trains arrive in Hamburg about 15-20 minutes later and leave Kiel/Hamburg about 15-20 minutes earlier. From Hanover, they continue at their usual times towards Switzerland/Stuttgart.
The ICE trains on the hourly route Hamburg/Bremen – Hanover – Kassel – Fulda – Würzburg – Munich continue to run on the regular route between Hamburg and Hanover. Instead of the abolition of stops on other lines, the trains also stop in Lüneburg, Uelzen and Celle. Overall, they need about 30 more minutes on the section. ICE trains leave Hamburg about 30 minutes earlier and continue at the usual times from Hanover. In the other direction, the trains reach Hamburg about 30 minutes later. During construction, the part of the train that normally runs every two hours to Bremen also travels to Hamburg. Alternatively, there are fast long-distance connections to Bremen every hour or so, including trains from Kassel every two hours without changing trains on the Stralsund – Karlsruhe line. The trains between Fulda and Würzburg will also have an additional journey time extension of 60 minutes. The reason for this is the renewal of the Fulda – Würzburg high-speed line.
The ICE trains on the two-hourly line Stralsund – Hamburg – Hanover – Kassel – Frankfurt – Karlsruhe are no longer on the Stralsund – Hanover line. The service of the stops between Binz/Stralsund and Hamburg takes place alternately in the usual slots of the ICE line Hamburg – Kassel – Würzburg – Munich. Trains on the Stralsund – Karlsruhe line will temporarily run from Hanover to Bremen. Trains will also stop in Frankfurt West instead of Frankfurt am Main until August 26, due to track works in Frankfurt am Main.
The single trips sprinters and boosters Hamburg – Hanover – Frankfurt or Munich, which normally exist in addition to the regular service, as well as the tourist trains are canceled on sections or on the entire route or run in different time slots than usual.
Train service limited to Metronom
Passengers on the RE3/RB31 line will have to be patient this summer: From 11 June there will be significantly fewer trains than usual between Hamburg, Lüneburg and Uelzen, extensive construction work on the tracks and switches is expected. From August there will be further construction work in the Hamburg-Harburg area.
The construction project is split into several time periods where construction times may vary slightly. Overall, however, the works will last until the end of September. Those changed Timetables of trains and railway substitutions for the period 11.6.-15.7. are already fixed and published on the Metronom website.
Construction dimension parallel to the “9-Euro-Ticket”
The construction work coincides with the promotional period of the “9 euro ticket”. Metronom assumes that there will be a significant increase in passenger numbers in the summer months, especially on weekends. “We can only advise hikers to obtain detailed information in advance and to avoid the Hamburg-Uelzen route as much as possible,” says Fehsenfeld, “that’s a pity, but unfortunately we cannot change that.” DB has postponed the network construction work was not possible.
If you want to reach the Baltic Sea from the south, you can at least switch from Lüneburg to the route via Büchen in the direction of Lübeck and do not have to drive via Hamburg. If you want to go from Hanover to the Lüneburg Heath, you can use the Heidebahn RB38 every day from Hanover in the direction of Soltau.
(Posted May 30, 2022)
