Bundestag Transport Committee Addresses New Hamburg-Hannover Rail Line
Hamburg, April 21, 2026 – The proposed new rail line between Hamburg and Hannover was the central topic of a three-hour public hearing held by the German Bundestag’s Transport Committee on Monday. The session, which saw significant public interest, underscored the urgent need for increased rail capacity between the two major cities.
Politicians from Lower Saxony and representatives from various citizens’ initiatives traveled to Berlin to attend the committee meeting, which had to be moved to a larger room to accommodate the many spectators. This strong interest alone demonstrates the ongoing need for discussion regarding the new Hamburg-Hannover rail line.
Overburdened Rail Network: A Consensus on the Current Situation
During the hearing, it became clear that there is a broad consensus that the current situation on the rail tracks between Hamburg and Hannover is unsustainable. Members of Parliament specifically inquired about the extent to which construction measures starting in May and the planned general renovation in 2029 could provide noticeable relief on the route.
Matthias Hudaff from Deutsche Bahn (DB) summarized the situation by stating, “It’s all a bit pain-relieving, but it doesn’t cure the disease.” He explained that the existing line is severely overloaded. While the general renovation could allow 200 trains to run daily, the actual demand is for 400 trains. In contrast, Peter Dörsam (Greens), who was heard by the committee for the Alpha-E project advisory board, expressed confidence that significant improvements could be achieved very quickly with additional switches.
Long Construction Times Feared for New Line
According to Hudaff, Deutsche Bahn has investigated 29 variants over the past three years and ten months to increase rail capacity between Hamburg and Hannover. Four variants were made public. Hudaff explained to the committee that only the presented new construction variant meets the criteria of increased punctuality, greater capacity, and integration into the Deutschlandtakt (Germany-wide integrated regular-interval timetable). He emphasized the need for swift political decisions and rapid approval procedures, suggesting that the new route could even be completed earlier than the previously assumed 2050, possibly by 2045.
However, Jens Grote (non-party), District Administrator of the Heidekreis, expressed skepticism, fearing that the project, like many construction projects, would be completed much later than planned. He stressed that people in the region need a solution now.
Regional Concerns and Alternatives to New Construction
District Administrator Grote noted during the committee meeting that the discussion conveyed a completely wrong impression of the region. He argued that the region is not trying to prevent such an important infrastructure project merely to protect a few fields. The region is already characterized by numerous transport routes, including motorways, and many residents desire better rail connections – but not in 25 years. Therefore, the districts, together with the state of Lower Saxony, advocate for a faster expansion of the existing line.
However, Bahn representative Hudaff stated that such an expansion would take significantly longer. “An expansion effectively means new construction within the existing framework,” he explained when questioned by MPs. This concern particularly troubles Lüneburg’s Mayor, Claudia Kalisch (Greens), who anticipates 32 years of construction on the existing route. “I cannot imagine Lüneburg, as a regional center, being restricted for so long,” argued the Mayor.
New Construction: Regional Benefits and Economic Impact
Nine stakeholders and experts spoke at the hearing. For Mayor Kalisch, a new line is the only way to create more capacity for local transport, while ensuring Lüneburg does not lose its connection to long-distance services. Lukas Iffländer from the passenger association Pro Bahn is convinced that the entire region can benefit from a new route, citing examples from other regions where express trains are always full.
However, regional representatives Dörsam and Grote are more cautious, fearing that Deutsche Bahn’s plans might be unaffordable for municipalities and that regional benefits, such as new train stops, would not materialize. Kay Rabe von Kühlewein from the Verkehrsclub Deutschland called for an expansion of Deutsche Bahn’s plans to include funding for regional train stops and improved noise protection.
Lutz Könner from the Central Association of German Seaport Operators emphasized the significant economic value of a new rail connection between Hamburg and Hannover, calling it a key project for the German economy. He highlighted its role in connecting ports and industrial centers in North Rhine-Westphalia and Southern Germany. Könner stressed that the existing route is overloaded, leading to frequent conflicts over track usage, and while the existing line urgently needs renovation, a new construction is unavoidable.
Economic Doubts and Alternative Calculations
Thomas Siefer, a transport expert from the Technical University of Braunschweig, contradicted this view, describing the plans as “extremely expensive.” He noted that the travel time saving compared to the existing route is only 14 minutes. Siefer criticized that achieving one minute of travel time saving would cost one billion euros, an extremely high value compared to other major projects. The transport expert also fears that the new route would be too expensive for freight transport, estimating that companies would face additional costs of around 750 euros per train journey due to higher track usage fees, rendering the route unmarketable under these circumstances.
Green politician Dörsam also expressed concerns about Deutsche Bahn’s key figures. The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) is a central indicator of a project’s economic viability. Deutsche Bahn states a BCR of 1.5, which would make the new line economically viable. However, Dörsam questioned this calculation in the committee, while opponents of the project estimate a BCR below 1, indicating uneconomical operation. Omid Najafi, an AfD state parliament member from Lower Saxony, expressed doubts about the projected passenger numbers, suggesting that the existing route should first be expanded to obtain realistic key figures before considering new construction.
Conclusion of the Hearing
The chairman of the Transport Committee, Tarek Al-Wazir (Greens), closed the session at 4:08 PM, expressing satisfaction with the hearing’s progress. He also thanked the audience for their high level of concentration during the three-hour session. “You have seen that we in the committee deal with various positions to make a decision,” Al-Wazir stated. The timing of this decision remains undecided.
Participants heard in the committee included:
- Peter Dörsam (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Mayor of the Samtgemeinde Tostedt and spokesperson for the Alpha-E project advisory board
- Jens Grote (non-party), District Administrator of the Heidekreis district
- Matthias Hudaff, Deutsche Bahn AG, Head of Major Projects Expansion/New Line Hamburg-Hannover
- Lukas Iffländer, Pro Bahn e. V. Passenger Association, Federal Chairman
- Claudia Kalisch (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Mayor of the Hanseatic City of Lüneburg
- Lutz Könner, Central Association of German Seaport Operators e. V. (ZDS), Managing Director
- Kay Rabe von Kühlewein, Verkehrsclub Deutschland State Association Lower Saxony e. V., Member of the State Board
- Thomas Siefer, Technical University Braunschweig, Institute for Transport Engineering, Railway Construction and Operation
- Omid Najafi (AfD), State Parliament Member Lower Saxony, Committee for Economy, Transport, Building and Digitalization
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/lueneburg_heide_unterelbe/neubaustrecke-hamburg-hannover-das-war-die-anhoerung-im-bundestag,neubaustrecke-118.html
