Hamburg-Berlin rail upgrade backfires with slower travel times despite €2.2 billion cost

A €2.2 billion renovation of the Hamburg-Berlin high-speed rail line has led to longer travel times instead of faster journeys. Deutsche Bahn initially denied the delays but later admitted the issue. Experts now question the reasons behind the slower service.

The Hamburg-Berlin route was first upgraded in the early 2000s for €650 million, raising top speeds from 160 to 230 km/h. At the time, the fastest trains were supposed to take around 93 minutes. Yet even after completion in 2006, typical journeys settled between 98 and 105 minutes—well above the promised 90-minute target.

In 2017, then-Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt pledged a 90-minute trip by 2026. But ongoing construction and speed limits kept travel times rising. By 2021, the federal government estimated the shortest possible journey at 95 minutes, blaming aging tracks and wear. The latest renovation, costing €2.2 billion, was meant to fix these problems.

Now, the fastest ICE train takes 107 minutes—two minutes longer than before the upgrade. Deutsche Bahn first rejected claims of slower services but later confirmed the increase. Professor Christian Böttger of Berlin's University of Applied Sciences and Technology called the company's explanations weak. The real issue, according to reports, lies in a crowded timetable, congested hubs, and heavy regional traffic.

The €2.2 billion investment has not delivered faster trips between Hamburg and Berlin. Instead, the journey now takes longer than it did before the renovation. Officials and experts point to scheduling problems rather than infrastructure flaws as the cause.