A permanent long-distance train line between Hamburg and Berlin with stops in Lüneburg, Uelzen, Salzwedel, and Stendal: that is the goal of a cross-state initiative involving several municipalities in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. During the diversion of ICE traffic between Hamburg and Berlin, the demand for such a connection was confirmed once again very clearly, said the mayor of Salzwedel, Olaf Meining (independent). A total of five districts and eleven mayors from the two federal states are advocating in a letter to the Federal Ministry of Transport, Deutsche Bahn, and the relevant state ministries for such a permanent connection.
The route should receive at least an IC or EC service, the initiative states. The starting point could be at least two daily long-distance connections: one in the morning and one in the evening. The stations along this line have significance far beyond the cities themselves. They are central hubs for administration, education, healthcare, business, and tourism, the district of Stendal announced. Reliable long-distance rail would not only strengthen city centers but also the rural areas of the Altmark.
Source: www.tagesspiegel.de
