Restrictions in regional transport: RE1 will be a test of patience!

Restrictions in regional transport: RE1 will be a test of patience!

Passengers who rely on the Regional Express line RE1 will have to prepare for longer travel times from August 16th. The route from Hamburg via Schwerin to Rostock is particularly affected, the German railways report. There are delays between Hamburg Central Station and Hagenow Land that can last up to an hour. The section from Büchen to Hagenow Land is also on the list of affected routes.

For the period from August 16th to September 1st, replacement buses will be used between Hamburg (U Wandsbek Markt/S Bergedorf) and Büchen/Hagenow Land. However, it should be noted that bicycles are restricted for reasons of space, while strollers and wheelchairs have priority. From September 30th, RE1 trains will operate again largely without restrictions.

Replacement buses and diversions

The situation is complicated by additional changes to the trains on the RE83 line, which runs between Lübeck, Büchen and Lüneburg. Here too, the period from August 16th to September 1st applies to the deployment of replacement buses, especially in the section between Mölln and Büchen. However, from September 2nd, passengers can expect a large part of the regular timetable, even if a change in Büchen may be necessary on some days.

In addition, express buses run every two hours between Hamburg (U Wandsbek Markt) and Schwerin without stopping. Travelers who want to avoid the construction site can use the northern diversions of the RE4 (Bad Kleinen–Lübeck) and RE8 (Lübeck–Hamburg) lines, some of which offer more seating.

Impact of the construction work

In connection with these restrictions, extensive construction work on the RE1 route will run until 2026. Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn GmbH reports that the period of outages will be between May 6th and December 15th, 2024, with further restrictions to be expected subsequently, especially on the route from Berlin to Erkner. This affects route capacities, which leads to changed travel times and means that trains on this section stop a maximum of two times per hour.

Since these changes affect many travelers, it is advisable to consult current timetables: information is available below deutschebahn.com and odeg.de available. This will help travelers better plan their route and minimize the impact of construction work.