Long-distance and freight trains are being rerouted; in regional traffic, buses and occasional trains operate on sections. Construction work has been underway since early May, initially affecting mainly the Celle–Hanover section. Now regional trains between Uelzen and Lüneburg are also cancelled. Instead, buses run hourly between Lüneburg and Uelzen, with additional trains between Lüneburg and Hamburg during peak hours.
The roughly 163-kilometer route is one of Germany’s busiest rail links. It is crucial for long-distance traffic between northern and southern Germany, for commuters, and for freight traffic to and from the Port of Hamburg. Deutsche Bahn plans to renew tracks, switches, overhead lines, stations, bridges, signal boxes, and the embankment at Eschede. According to the company, the work is on schedule. The line is to be comprehensively renovated by 2029.
Source: www.zeit.de
