Sections between Bad Bevensen and Bienenbüttel, as well as between Frellstedt, Königslutter, and Schandelah, are currently restricted to single-track operations at night. On the Lüneburg–Maschen route alone, 12 freight trains were delayed on August 10, 2025, with some taking four hours to cover the 50 km between Hamburg and Lüneburg.
DB InfraGO confirmed that it had attempted to stagger construction work on the diversion routes, but that central scheduling required the closures to proceed simultaneously. Capacity constraints have led to train cancellations, DB-watch reports.
Industry representatives have previously criticised the diversion strategy, warning that unplanned construction sites or technical failures on these alternative routes could force trains onto long detours. Past closures of the Hamburg–Berlin corridor have shown that diversion routes are not always free from disruptions, highlighting the need for tighter coordination of works across the network.
