Hamburg's S-Bahn tunnel: progress at a standstill - what now?

Hamburg's S-Bahn tunnel: progress at a standstill - what now?

The planning of the eagerly awaited S-Bahn tunnel, which is supposed to connect Hamburg Central Station with the new Altona station, is not making progress. The so-called Connecting railway relief tunnel (VET) is designed as a crucial part of the transport network in Hamburg in order to relieve the overloaded connecting railway. The current situation is anything but positive, as the Senate reported that no significant progress has been made in planning so far. This is particularly alarming since the Federal Ministry of Transport has not even commissioned a study on the Hamburg railway junction.

The administration blames the federal government for the unclear financing. It is striking that no funding commitment has yet been made by the federal government. The Senate also refuses to provide information about the estimated costs. The project represents an essential prerequisite for the expansion of the so-called Deutschlandtakt, which is intended to significantly improve the rail infrastructure in Germany.

The project in detail

The connecting railway relief tunnel is intended to create additional capacity in the Hamburg transport hub. Relocating the S-Bahn traffic into the tunnel would make it possible to expand the above-ground connecting line to four tracks. This would allow regional and long-distance trains to run more efficiently. A feasibility study carried out in March 2023 examined five different tunnel routes and identified two recommended variants: the middle and the southern line, with the connection to the main station and Altona remaining constant in all variants. There are currently around 300 trains running every day, which leads to enormous congestion on the route, which is likely to increase in the next few years with the rise of the Germany clock.

The benefits of the tunnel project are promising. Improved connections to local and long-distance transport not only bring shorter travel times for Hamburg residents, but also additional connections to metropolises and smaller towns. This is particularly relevant for the city's residents, as they can expect shorter waiting times and better inner-city transport connections.

Criticism of infrastructure policy

The situation has also brought the CDU onto the scene. The parliamentary group leader Dennis Thering expressed sharp criticism of the standstill in planning and described it as symptomatic of the infrastructure policy of the red-green Senate. The demands on the existing transport structure in Hamburg are now higher than ever, with a steady increase in passengers being recorded. With over 280 million travelers every year and 750,000 passengers daily, the Hamburg S-Bahn is an indispensable part of local public transport.

The construction site for the new Hamburg-Altona long-distance and regional train station at Diebsteich started in July 2021, but the construction plans for the reception area have been postponed. Commissioning is now expected to take place at the end of 2029, two years later than originally planned. A clear roadmap for the VET is urgently required in order to further improve connections in urban transport.

The connecting railway relief tunnel in Hamburg remains a central concern, but it remains on hold for the time being. It is high time for the city and its road users to get things moving.