Major Rail Disruptions in Hamburg Due to Sternbrücke Construction
Hamburg, July 21 – Significant disruptions to rail and road traffic are expected in Hamburg over the coming weeks as construction work progresses on the new Sternbrücke and two additional bridges between Altona and Sternschanze. Long-distance and regional trains are subject to partial cancellations or will depart from alternative stations. The S-Bahn network is also heavily affected, with bus replacement services in operation.
S-Bahn Services Severely Impacted Until August 30
No S-Bahn trains will operate between Sternschanze and Altona until August 30 (end of service). S-Bahn Hamburg has announced the implementation of a replacement bus service. The S5 line (Elbgaustraße/Stade) will be diverted between Altona and Hauptbahnhof via the City-Tunnel, running through Landungsbrücken and Jungfernstieg to Hauptbahnhof instead of Sternschanze and Dammtor. The S1 will continue to operate on this diverted route as usual. All timetable changes are available via the HVV journey planner.
These track closures from Altona to Sternschanze, along with the rail replacement services, were originally scheduled to end on August 14 but have been extended due to unforeseen delays in the Sternbrücke construction. Additionally, road traffic in Hamburg is also affected, with the central intersection of Stresemannstraße/Max-Brauer-Allee closed until September 2.
Restrictions for Long-Distance Train Travelers
Due to the ongoing construction, no long-distance trains will serve Hamburg-Dammtor and Hamburg-Altona stations until August 15. Many services at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof will be canceled or rerouted. Travelers may need to use alternative stations such as Pinneberg, Bergedorf, or Harburg. Further restrictions are anticipated until August 31 (4:00 AM), though specific details have yet to be announced by Deutsche Bahn.
- Trains to and from Denmark will commence at Hauptbahnhof or, alternatively, in Harburg.
- Trains to and from Munich via Berlin will run hourly, stopping at Hauptbahnhof, with calls at Dammtor and Altona canceled.
- Trains to and from Rostock/Binz will only stop in Bergedorf.
- Trains to and from Westerland/Sylt will not proceed to Hauptbahnhof but will be routed via Harburg. From July 19 to 22, these services will be canceled due to construction work in Elmshorn.
- Trains to and from Bremen, Osnabrück, Münster, and Cologne will depart hourly from Hauptbahnhof, with some connections only departing from Harburg.
- Trains to and from Southern Germany via Hanover and Frankfurt will now only run hourly from Hauptbahnhof.
- Trains to and from Munich via Hanover, Kassel, Würzburg, and Fulda will only run every two hours from Harburg. Dammtor and Hauptbahnhof will not be served. Approximately one-third of previous connections will now start from Hanover.
Impacts Also Felt in Schleswig-Holstein
In Schleswig-Holstein, the construction work particularly affects Kiel and Neumünster stations. Until August 15, only two out of eight train pairs will operate between Kiel and Hamburg. Stops at Itzehoe, Heide, Husum, Niebüll, and Westerland will also be canceled. Regional trains to Kiel will depart from Pinneberg.
Deutsche Bahn advises all travelers to check the DB Navigator app or bahn.de for specific journey details before departure.
New Altona Station Expected by 2029
During the current closures, critical work for the relocation of Altona station will also be carried out. The new long-distance Altona station is being constructed approximately two kilometers north at the S-Bahn station Diebsteich and is expected to become operational by the end of 2029.
Prolonged Road Closures and Traffic Issues
The intersection of Max-Brauer-Allee / Stresemannstraße remains closed, leading to significant traffic problems. Barriers were installed to prevent cars from using shortcuts through the Schanzenviertel, but these have also caused issues. The full closure of the route from Hamburg Hauptbahnhof via Dammtor to Altona, originally planned for four weeks, has been extended by Deutsche Bahn to six weeks.
Source: NDR.de
