Procedure outlined in Article 93 (2) of the Treaty will be started by the Commission.

Procedure outlined in Article 93 (2) of the Treaty will be started by the Commission.

Between August 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026, the main Berlin–Hamburg railway line will undergo extensive renovation works, significantly impacting train services on this route[1][2].

During this nine-month closure, alternative travel options include:

• Long-distance trains will be diverted to maintain connectivity, potentially using other routes, although this may involve longer travel times[2].
• Regional rail services between Hamburg and Berlin will be replaced by a comprehensive bus substitution service with over 170 buses operating to cover rail passenger needs[2].
• Trains traveling to and from Rostock and Stralsund will be rerouted via Lübeck during this period[2].
• EuroCity (EC) trains from Prague to Hamburg will terminate in Berlin only; direct rail service north of Berlin towards Hamburg will be suspended[4].

Regarding expected travel times:

• Since the direct rail line is closed, travel times by train will increase due to diversion via alternative and likely longer routes or by transferring to bus services on parts of the journey. Exact additional durations are not explicitly stated in the sources, but given the full line closure and use of bus replacements, travelers should expect significantly extended travel times compared to normal rail service[1][2][4].

In summary, there will be no direct train services between Hamburg and Berlin for about nine months starting August 1, 2025. Passengers should plan for rerouted trains, bus replacements, or break journeys, with correspondingly longer travel times during the renovation works[1][2][4].

The line between Hamburg and Berlin will remain closed at 9:00 PM each day during the renovation period[1][2]. Regional traffic will be affected as well, with many connections being cancelled or only running on partial routes[1][2].

Commuters can continue to use the bus replacement services on regional routes between Hamburg and Berlin, which have been in operation since early Friday morning[1][2]. Long-distance traffic will be rerouted via Stendal and Uelzen during this time[1][2].

No new information about ticket prices or refunds for affected passengers was provided in the article. ICE and IC trains will run only once an hour instead of every 30 minutes during the renovation period[1][2].

[1] [source 1] [2] [source 2] [3] [source 3] (not used in this article) [4] [source 4] (not used in this article)

• The diversion of long-distance trains could potentially impact the finance industry, as travelers might face increased ticket prices or unexpected expenses due to the need for alternative transportation.
• During this period, the lack of direct train services between Hamburg and Berlin in the industry sector of transportation could lead to delays in the delivery of goods and raw materials, potentially affecting businesses that rely on this route for finance and logistics purposes.

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