Germany (Hamburg) - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable dated from 10 December 2023 to 14 December 2024, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained here.

Map references for each route entry are given in parentheses ( ). References prefixed "ERA-E" refer to the European Railway Atlas (All-Europe Edition) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "ERA-R" refer to the European Railway Atlas (Regional Series: Book 2) by M.G. Ball. References prefixed "S+W", or in italic, refer to Eisenbahnatlas Deutschland by Schweers + Wall.

Obscure services

Hamburg-Altona avoiding line: Pinneberg (Hamburg-Langenfelde Bbf) – Hamburg Dammtor (Abzw Rainweg)

[103, 130] (ERA-E 45B5; S+W 119A3) DE22/051

This north to east curve is used by trains between the Elmshorn line and Hamburg Dammtor which are not booked to call at Hamburg-Altona. Most trains between Hamburg Hbf and Kiel Hbf or Flensburg use this route. RE services to Westerland mostly start and terminate at Hamburg-Altona. It is intended to close Hamburg-Altona station, replacing it with a new through station to the north, which is planned to open in 2027. That will result in this curve being replaced by a new line to the south.

Hamburg-Wandsbek – Hamburg Hbf (via Horn, Hamburg-Rothenburgsort and Abzw Ericus)

[104] (ERA-E 45C5; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119D2-119C3) DE22/052

This is an alternative route between Hamburg Hbf and the Lübeck line, using part of the Hamburg Ring line. It is common with DE22/053 between Hamburg Hbf and Hamburg Rothenburgsort Ro.

D1	SuO	IC2414	06:55 Hamburg Hbf – Fehmarn-Burg
D2		IC2416	12:20 Hamburg Hbf – Fehmarn-Burg
		IC2408	Köln Hbf – 13:59 Hamburg Hbf – Lübeck Hbf
D2		IC2415	Fehmarn-Burg – 16:42 Lübeck Hbf – Hamburg Hbf

D1: 3 April – 28 August

D2: 2 April – 31 August

Hamburg-Bergedorf (Rothenburgsort Rop) – Hamburg Hbf (via Abzw Ericus)

[100, 102] (ERA-E 45C5; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119C3-119D3) DE22/053

This is an alternative route between Hamburg Hbf and the Büchen line, and is the only one available for trains using platforms on the west side of Hamburg Hbf (numbered 11 and higher). It is common with DE22/052 between Rothenburgsort Ro and Hamburg Hbf. The following trains are scheduled to use this route:

	SuX	ICE535/1577	Stralsund Hbf – 07:19 Schwerin Hbf – Karlsruhe Hbf/München Hbf
		IC2217	Greifswald/Stralsund Hbf – 09:20 Schwerin Hbf – Wiesloch-Walldorf/Karlsruhe Hbf/Stuttgart Hbf
D3		ICE639/1671	Ostseebad Binz – 11:19 Schwerin Hbf – München Hbf/Karlsruhe Hbf
		IC2213	Ostseebad Binz – 13:37 Schwerin Hbf – Karlsruhe Hbf/Stuttgart Hbf
D	SSuO	ICE1021	Ostseebad Binz (SO)/Stralsund Hbf (SuO) – 15:07/15:08 Schwerin Hbf – Nürnberg Hbf
D4		ICE1675	Ostseebad Binz/Stralsund Hbf – 15:19 Schwerin Hbf – Frankfurt (M) Hbf
D4	SuX/Daily	ICE635/1677	Stralsund Hbf – 17:19 Schwerin Hbf – Hamburg Hbf/Hannover Hbf/Frankfurt (M) Hbf
	SuO	ICE679/1679	Stralsund Hbf – 19:19 Schwerin Hbf – Hannover Hbf/Göttingen
		ICE1003	Hamburg-Altona – 05:52 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
		ICE507	Hamburg-Altona – 08:34 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
D4		ICE1676	Frankfurt (Main) Hbf/Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe/Hannover Hbf – 09:43 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf
D5		ICE636	09:43 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf
		ICE509	Hamburg-Altona – 10:34 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
		IC2212	Koblenz Hbf – 11:13/11:42 Hamburg Hbf – Ostseebad Binz
D6		ICE1205/1211/1601	Hamburg-Altona – 12:04 Hamburg Hbf – Nürnberg Hbf/München Hbf/Innsbruck Hbf (FO)/Schwarzach-St. Veit (D FO)
		ICE1601	Hamburg-Altona – 12:34 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
		ICE632/1672	München Hbf/Frankfurt (M) Hbf – 13:41 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf/Ostseebad Binz(SuX)
		IC2216	Offenburg (SSuX)/Stuttgart Hbf – 15:17 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf/Greifswald(SX)
		ICE1605/1705	Hamburg-Altona – 16:34 Hamburg Hbf – Berlin Hbf/München Hbf(SX)/Jena-Göschwitz (1705 SX)
		ICE538/1578	München Hbf – 17:41 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf/Greifswald (D SuO)
D	Daily/FX	ICE536/976/1576	München Hbf/Karlsruhe Hbf/Hamburg-Altona (FO) – 19:43 Hamburg Hbf - Rostock Hbf/Stralsund Hbf (SuO)
D3	SuO	ICE874/1574	München Hbf /Karlsruhe Hbf – 21:43 Hamburg Hbf – Rostock Hbf
		ICE905	Hamburg-Altona – 21:51 Hamburg Hbf – Berlin Südkreuz

D3: 12 December – 22 September

D4: 12 December – 10 June; 23 September – 10 December

D5: 11 June – 22 September

D6: 16 April – 10 December

Hamburg Hbf – Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen/Abzw Norderelbbrücke) (via goods line)

[110, 120, 121] (ERA-E 45C5 not shown; ERA-R 82B4 not shown; S+W 119C3-120D4) DE22/054

Between Hamburg Hbf and Hamburg-Harburg there are, in addition to the S-Bahn tracks, two pairs of tracks - one designated Pz-Gl (passenger line) and the other Gz-Gl (goods line), the latter being located between the S-Bahn tracks and the Pz-Gl.

All four tracks are used for passenger trains as operating convenience requires, although use of the Pz-Gl is more usual. They share common alignment south of Abzw Oberhafen (where the goods line from Rothenburgsort joins), but north-west of there, the Pz-Gl are at higher level, whereas the Gz-Gl follow a slightly different alignment at ground level via Abzw Ericus. A single-track connection from Abzw Ericus passes under the Pz-Gl and joins the southbound Pz-Gl at Abzw Norderelbbrücke.

The Gz-Gl are used, as required, by passenger trains to avoid conflicting moves at Hamburg Hbf. The connection to Abzw Norderelbbrücke, in particular, enables trains from platforms 8, 11 & 12 at Hamburg Hbf to reach the southbound Pz-Gl without crossing the northbound track on the level.

Route indicators associated with signals at the south end of Hamburg Hbf show the line to be used. 'P' indicates use of the Pz-Gl and 'H' the Gz-Gl.

One IC service is booked to use the connection from Abzw Ericus to Abzw Norderelbbrücke. It departs Hamburg Hbf at various times throughout the year so the timetable should be checked for the date of intended travel.

D4

IC2083/2085

Hamburg Altona – 05:34/06:04/06:24/07:29 Hamburg Hbf – Augsburg Hbf/München Hbf/Berchtesgaden Hbf/Oberstdorf

D4: 12 December – 10 June; 23 September – 10 December

Hamburg Hbf (Abzw Wilhelmsburg) – Hamburg-Harburg (via harbour line)

[121] (ERA-E 45C5-45C4 not shown; ERA-R 82B4 not shown; S+W 120D3-120D4) DE22/055

South of Abzw Wilhelmsburg an additional pair of tracks, designated Hafen-Gl (harbour line), run broadly parallel to the main line on the approach to Hamburg-Harburg. They are normally used by RE5 Cuxhaven line trains, which now run through to and from Hamburg Hbf every day.

Obscure services: Lines used on an occasional basis for engineering work diversions

Pinneberg (Hamburg-Eidelstedt En) - Hamburg Hbf (via Hamburg-Lokstedt and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort)

[131] (ERA-E 45B5-45C5; ERA-R 82B5-82B4; S+W 120B1-119C3) DE21/061

This route comprises the Hamburg Ring line from the Elmshorn line around the north and east sides of the city. Trains between Hamburg Hbf and Elmshorn may be diverted this way if the main line via Dammtor is blocked.

On 9 and 16 April, ICE1587 Flensburg - 12:31 Neumünster - München Hbf is diverted this way as far as Rothenburgsort, thence via DE21/062 to Hamburg-Harburg so omitting Hamburg Hbf.

Hamburg-Wandsbek – Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen) (via Horn and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort)

[104] (ERA-E 45C5 part shown; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119D2-119C3) DE21/062

This route, via part of the Hamburg eastern ring line, allows trains to run between the Lübeck and Hamburg-Harburg lines without reversal at Hamburg Hbf. It is common with route DE21/052 between Hamburg-Wandsbek and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort and with route DE21/054 between Hamburg-Rothenburgsort and Abzw Oberhafen. No services have been identified as using it in the current timetable period.