Deutsche Bahn postpones Hamburg–Lübeck line renovation to 2028

The roughly 60 km railway line 1120 between Hamburg and Lübeck is to be equipped with ETCS train-control technology as part of Deutsche Bahn's general renovation programme, enabling continuous ETCS operation from Puttgarden to Hamburg once the Fehmarn Belt tunnel opens. A five-month full closure was originally planned for July–December 2027, but the start of construction has since been postponed to 2028, eliminating the synergy window previously planned for the S4 suburban-rail extension. No specific cost figures have been published so far.