Overview
- DB Infra GO postponed the end‑April target for restoring the Hamburg–Berlin corridor and says a new in‑service concept will be unveiled around March 13, later indicating the delay should be weeks rather than months.
- Persistent frost and snow halted outdoor work, leaving key signalling tasks unfinished; the company plans to add crews and extend shifts once temperatures allow.
- The slippage disrupts commuters and freight and jeopardizes the May 1 start for works on the Hamburg–Hannover route, raising concerns about cascading schedule conflicts and costs.
- Regional leaders including Brandenburg’s Detlef Tabbert and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern’s Manuela Schwesig criticized late communication, while the federal transport ministry demanded a concrete, credible timetable; passenger advocates urged stronger diversion capacity and more reliable alternatives.
- In a separate security response to a conductor’s killing, DB and the federal government agreed on voluntary bodycams this year, discretion over ID checks in DB Regio from March 1, 200 extra DB security staff, upgrades to the Prio‑Ruf emergency system, and a review of wider CCTV and AI use, with proposals for photo‑enabled Deutschlandtickets also under discussion.