Photo: Deutsche Bahn AG / Michael Neuhaus
Starting in October, DB InfraGO will begin modernisation work on the 221-km Berlin–Hanover corridor, covering the route from the German capital to Lehrte, a railway hub located near Hanover.
By the end of 2027, DB InfraGO will replace over 175 switches, 260 km of track, and 13 km of sound-absorbing panels. Additionally, 25 stations will be modernized, some of which will become fully accessible to people with limited mobility.
The program also includes the rehabilitation of bridges, footbridges, and switch heating systems, as well as maintenance work on the power supply network and the signaling and traffic control systems. During track closures, sections of the “fixed track” infrastructure on the high-speed line near the city of Stendal will also be modernized.
The work will be carried out in four main phases. The first phase will take place between October and December 2026, when the eastern section between Fallersleben and Berlin-Spandau will be completely closed. Subsequently, between December 2026 and October 2027, train service will be possible on certain sections via a single track, using the alternative Lehrter Stammbahn route.
On the western section, between Lehrte and Fallersleben, a complete closure will be necessary between February and July 2027 to carry out complex modernization work. The project will conclude with another complete closure of the eastern section between October and December 2027.
The eighth major rail infrastructure project
The Lehrte–Berlin route modernization project involves upgrading the infrastructure and electrifying the parallel Lehrter Stammbahn line, one of the largest electrification projects currently underway in Germany.
The modernization of this important corridor is the eighth project involving the comprehensive renewal of a rail corridor in Germany. After the Hamburg–Berlin corridor, this route is the second-longest corridor where the infrastructure will be modernized simultaneously through coordinated work on all rail systems.
“This will allow trains to continue operating on this route during construction work on the high-speed line. Unlike the Hamburg–Berlin project, we can reopen certain sections to traffic in phases. It’s a good solution for our customers,” said Gerd-Dietrich Bolte, a member of the DB InfraGO management team responsible for planning and infrastructure projects.
The Berlin–Hanover corridor is one of the most important links between Berlin and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with over 400 passenger trains and approximately 90 freight trains using it daily. Given the strategic importance of the route, DB InfraGO has collaborated with rail operators and regional transportation authorities to minimize the impact of the construction work on train traffic as much as possible.
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