Between 27 and 30 November 2026 on the route Hamburg–Hanover there will be significant disruption to rail services. Deutsche Bahn and Metronom have announced cancellations, diversions and longer journey times for the last weekend in November. The disruption is due to a number of track and points works being carried out on several sections of the line.
According to Deutsche Bahn, the work will affect both regional and long-distance services. Some long-distance trains will be diverted, adding up to 40 minutes to journey times. On several Metronom regional routes between Hamburg, Lüneburg, Uelzen and Hanover, services will be cancelled; replacement bus services are to operate on some sections. The companies say the final replacement timetables will be published shortly before the work begins.
The main areas affected by the engineering work include Hanover-Linden as well as the Hamburg rail hub, including work around Hamburg-Harburg. Planning and carrying out the work is the responsibility of DB InfraGO. The works are part of the ongoing quality improvement programme on the Hamburg–Hanover route, which aims to stabilise the infrastructure and improve service reliability.
Passengers should be prepared in particular for the following effects: longer journey times because of diversions and additional stops, some services terminating early, and temporary station omissions. This may cause passengers to miss connections in Hamburg and Hanover. Deutsche Bahn recommends checking services in its journey planners shortly before departure and, where appropriate, taking an earlier train. Metronom also says it will keep information about replacement buses and revised departure times up to date.
The latest notice from Deutsche Bahn and Metronom is dated 3 November 2026. It follows previously announced work on points and tracks in the greater Hanover area, as well as preparatory work on the Hamburg network. Detailed daily timetables and the locations of replacement bus stops are to be provided before 27 November 2026. Travellers, particularly commuters on the route between Hamburg and Hanover, should therefore treat the latest daily information from Deutsche Bahn and Metronom as authoritative before setting off.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).