Great news for 250,000 people: construction starts on Hamburg's S4 line

Work begins in Hasselbrook · New line from Altona to Bad Oldesloe with five new stations · Focus on noise reduction for local residents · EUR 1.8 billion for shifting traffic to rail

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Images from the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the S4's construction

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Images from the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the S4's construction

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Images from the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the S4's construction

The groundbreaking ceremony for the S4 in Hamburg 
DB's board member for infrastructure Ronald Pofalla, German transport minister Andreas Scheuer, Hamburg's premier Peter Tschentscher and Schleswig-Holstein's premier Daniel Günther were present for the occasion. Andreas Boschen, head of the sustainable networks and investments department at CINEA (Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency), joined the event via video.

Click here for speeches from the S4's groundbreaking ceremony.

Clip from the groundbreaking ceremony for the S4 in Hamburg

Ronald Pofalla, Member of the Management Board for Infrastructure at DB

"Fast, frequent, environmentally friendly – the new S4 will be the ideal way to travel between Hamburg and Bad Oldesloe. We are investing EUR 1.8 billion in this new line and the accompanying noise control measures. The new S4 is good for people and for the environment."

Ronald Pofalla at the groundbreaking ceremony

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Andreas Scheuer, Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

"We made a promise and have kept our word. Now, work has started on the S4. Following the German government's pledge to invest approximately EUR 1.6 billion, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein were in a position to undertake the project with Deutsche Bahn. Today is the day when construction starts. The project is a huge win for commuters and travellers in Hamburg and its hinterland. Travel will be more convenient, connections will be more efficient, trains will be more punctual. We are freeing up the city's main station and creating more room for long-distance and freight traffic."

Andreas Scheuer at the groundbreaking ceremony

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Peter Tschentscher, State Premier of Hamburg

"The S4 between Altona and Bad Oldesloe will create a fast and convenient rail service for up to 250,000 people living in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. It will reduce road traffic and improve operations at our city's main station, which is a major hub for local and long-distance rail transport. In addition to the groundbreaking ceremony for the S4, the government of Hamburg will commence two other important metro projects this year: the U5 from the eastern suburb of Bramfeld to the City Nord complex, and the extension of the U4 line to Horner Geest. By expanding our metro and suburban rail network, Hamburg has taken the decisive step towards decarbonising transport."

Peter Tschentscher at the groundbreaking ceremony

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Daniel Günther, State Premier of Schleswig-Holstein

"The new S4 will be one of the most important rail connections in our state. For this reason, today is a very important day for Schleswig-Holstein. People throughout the region have been waiting a long time for this groundbreaking ceremony. Now, we can start working on making real improvements to this route. The fast new rail connection will reduce congestion on our roads and so enhance quality of life in Schleswig-Holstein and for the people in the Hamburg region."

Daniel Günther at the groundbreaking ceremony

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Andreas Boschen, head of the sustainable networks and investments department at the EU's Climate Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)

"The new line will make makes a significant contribution to preventing capacity bottlenecks in Hamburg. The city is a major transport hub and plays a key role in Europe's core network. Easing traffic flows here is even more important due to this European dimension."

Andreas Boschen at the groundbreaking ceremony

DB InfraGO AG / Pia Haskamp

Now that building has started, the coming months will see us undertake the following major activities: DB will lay the first section of track between Hasselbrook and Hammer Strasse. As of the end of the year, we will start on the noise barriers along this stretch too. Near Hammer Strasse, we will construct two rail bridges for Hamburg's freight bypass line over the course of the year.

DB will build a total of 5 new stations, 45 kilometres of noise barriers, 32 railway bridges and 6 road and pedestrian bridges. Covering a total distance of 36 kilometres, the new line connects Altona in Hamburg with Bad Oldesloe in Schleswig-Holstein and provides 250,000 people with a link to Hamburg's suburban rail and metro network. The S4 will also reduce pressure on the city's main station: by taking the place of certain regional trains, it will increase the track capacity available to the remaining regional services. The project entails constructing a new double-track line over a length of 17 kilometres to Ahrensburg. The line the continues as a single track to Ahrensburg-Gartenholz.

One third of the line will be located Schleswig-Holstein, while two thirds will be in Hamburg. Four new stations are planned for northern Germany's largest city, and one new station will be built in Schleswig-Holstein. The S4 is scheduled to serve Bargteheide every 20 minutes and Bad Oldesloe every 60 minutes.

More impressions

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Groundbreaking ceremony for the start of the S4's construction

Deutsche Bahn AG / Bertold Fabricius

Images from the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the S4's construction

18.10.2024Construction site camera on section 1