DB builds new Hunte bridge at Elsfleth, opening winter 2027/28

On 1 June 2026 DB InfraGO chief Philipp Nagl, federal transport minister Patrick Schnieder and Lower Saxony's premier Olaf Lies gave the signal for the accelerated new build, with opening planned for winter 2027/2028. The bridge is the only rail link to the seaports of Brake and Nordenham; the old movable bridge was damaged beyond repair by ship collisions in February and July 2024, and trains have since used a fixed temporary bridge. The new single-track bridge will have 8.40 m clearance (1.93 m more than before) and the navigation channel widens by seven metres to 42 m. The planning approval was in place on 5 March 2026, the trough structure contract was awarded and the main contract award decided; a review procedure would have delayed opening by at least a year. The date is a placeholder: only winter 2027/2028 is given (earlier also end of 2027 or early 2028), so the end of winter is used. (LOK Report, 1 Jun 2026)