DB renovations to disrupt track connecting Berlin to Cologne and Frankfurt

Deutsche Bahn has announced plans to renovate a heavily used train route. Services connecting Berlin to Cologne, Frankfurt and the Netherlands will be disrupted as a result.

DB to renovate arterial east-west train route

In late 2025, Deutsche Bahn will commence a major renovation project on the train track connecting Berlin and Hanover, Lower Saxony. The years-long project is expected to seriously disrupt onward journeys from Berlin to Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and the Netherlands, which often use this route.

Tracks, switches and stations will be renovated along route 6107. Preparations for the construction project are scheduled to begin later this year as Deutsche Bahn organises alternative routes to be used once the main stage of the project commences in 2026.

Then, from September 2026 to October 2027, sections of the Berlin-Hanover track will be closed entirely or partially several times. During this period, passengers using long-distance trains should expect disruptions, delays and bus replacement services on sections of the east-west journey.

Why is DB doing such a big renovation?

Deutsche Bahn’s track network has been financially starved and is long overdue for renovation. Many fragile stretches of the nationwide network contribute to the rail company’s worsening delays. With over a third of long-distance trains delayed in 2024, the company paid out 200 million euros in passenger compensation.

Deutsche Bahn is now beginning track renovations across the whole country, which will be carried out over the next few years. Between Berlin and Hanover, the upgrades will be extensive, including not just tracks, but heating systems, control and safety technology, overhead lines, bridges, culverts, noise barriers and renovating 10 stations along the route.