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

Introduction

This list is based on the timetable dated from 11 December 2022 to 9 December 2023, unless otherwise stated. Standard abbreviations are explained in General Information.

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 - Germany) 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) DE23/051

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 (Sylt) mostly start and terminate at Hamburg-Altona. It is intended to close Hamburg-Altona main line station, replacing it with a new through station to the north adjacent to Diebsteich S-Bahn station. This is planned to open in 2027.

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

[104] (ERA-E 45C5; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119D2-119C3) DE23/052

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-Rothenburgsort Ro and Hamburg Hbf.

Note

IC2408 / ICE736

Köln Hbf – 13:59 Hamburg Hbf – Lübeck Hbf

Note Runs as IC2408 until 25 May 2023, then as ICE736

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

[100, 102] (ERA-E 45C5; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119C3-119D3) DE23/053

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 DE23/052 between Rothenburgsort Ro and Hamburg Hbf. The following trains are scheduled to use this route:

	SSuX	ICE1577	Stralsund Hbf / Rostock Hbf – 07:20 Schwerin Hbf – Frankfurt (Main) Hbf / Karlsruhe Hbf
	SuX	ICE1179(SSuX) / ICE1579(SO)	Greifswald / Rostock Hbf – 09:20 Schwerin Hbf – Hamburg Hbf / Frankfurt (Main) Hbf / Karlsruhe Hbf
		ICE1671	Ostseebad Binz – 11:20 Schwerin Hbf – Frankfurt (Main) Hbf / Karlsruhe Hbf
		IC2213	Ostseebad Binz – 13:39 Schwerin Hbf – Köln Hbf
D1	SSuO	ICE1021	Ostseebad Binz / Stralsund Hbf / Rostock Hbf – 15:08 Schwerin Hbf – Nürnberg Hbf
		ICE1675	Ostseebad Binz / Stralsund Hbf / Rostock Hbf – 15:20 Schwerin Hbf – Frankfurt (Main) Hbf
		ICE1004	München Hbf / Coburg – 17:11 Ludwigslust – Hamburg-Altona
D2	SX/Daily	ICE1677	Stralsund Hbf – 17:20 Schwerin Hbf – Hamburg-Altona / Hannover Hbf / Frankfurt (Main) Hbf
	SuO	ICE1679	Stralsund Hbf / Rostock Hbf – 19:20 Schwerin Hbf – Göttingen
D3	FO	ICE1589	Stralsund Hbf – 19:56 Schwerin Hbf – Hamburg-Altona
		ICE1002	Hamburg-Altona – 05:52 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf / Garmisch-Partenkirchen
		ICE703	Hamburg-Altona – 07:35 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
D4	SX/SSuX	ICE1678	Hannover Hbf – 07:42 Hamburg Hbf – Rostock Hbf / Stralsund Hbf / Ostseebad Binz
		ICE507	Hamburg-Altona – 08:34 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
		ICE1676	Frankfurt (Main) Hbf / Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe / Hannover Hbf – 09:43 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf
		ICE509	Hamburg-Altona – 10:34 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
		IC2212	Koblenz Hbf – 11:42 Hamburg Hbf – Rostock Hbf / Ostseebad Binz
		ICE1601	Hamburg-Altona – 12:34 Hamburg Hbf – München Hbf
		ICE1672	Karlsruhe Hbf / Frankfurt (Main) Hbf – 13:43 Hamburg Hbf – Rostock Hbf / Stralsund Hbf / Ostseebad Binz
D5		ICE836	Hamburg-Altona – 14:50 Hamburg Hbf – Stuttgart Hbf / Saarbrücken Hbf
		ICE1605/1705	Hamburg-Altona – 16:34 Hamburg Hbf – Berlin Hbf / München Hbf / Jena-Göschwitz
		ICE1578	München Hbf – 17:41 Hamburg Hbf – Stralsund Hbf / Greifswald
	SX	ICE1576	Karlsruhe Hbf / Frankfurt (Main) Hbf – 19:43 Hamburg Hbf - Rostock Hbf / Stralsund Hbf
D6	SuO	ICE974/1574	Karlsruhe Hbf – 21:43 Hamburg Hbf – Rostock Hbf
		ICE805	Hamburg-Altona / Karlsruhe Hbf – 21:51 Hamburg Hbf – Berlin Südkreuz

D1: SO all year; SuO 4 March - 29 October 2023

D2: SX 11 December 2022 - 26 February 2023 and 30 October - 8 December 2023; daily 27 February - 29 October 2023

D3: FO 9 June 2023 - 8 September 2023

D4: SSuX 12 December 2022 - 3 March 2023 and 30 October - 8 December 2023; SuX 6 March - 28 October 2023

D5: 11 December 2022 - 31 March 2023

D6: Runs as ICE974 from Hamburg Hbf SuO 5 March - 10 April 2023. Runs as ICE1574 from Karlsruhe Hbf SuO 11 December 2022 - 26 February 2023, 14 April - 3 December 2023.

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) DE23/054

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 a 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.

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) DE23/055

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, but in the current timetable only one weekday train each way runs through to/from Hamburg Hbf with all the others starting and terminating at Hamburg-Harburg.

	SSuX	RE14542	Cuxhaven – 07:22 Hamburg-Harburg – Hamburg Hbf
	SSuX	RE14529	18:06 Hamburg Hbf – Cuxhaven

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

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

[131] (ERA-E 45B5-45C5; ERA-R 82B5-82B4; S+W 120B1-119C3) DE23/061

This route comprises the Hamburg Ring line from the Elmshorn line around the north and east sides of the city. It is common with DE23/064 between Pinneberg and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Ro, with DE23/052 between Hamburg-Horn and Hamburg Hbf and with DE23/053 between Rothenburgsort Ro and Hamburg Hbf. Trains between Elmshorn and Hamburg Hbf may be diverted this way if the main line via Dammtor is blocked.

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

[104] (ERA-E 45C5 part shown; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119D2-119C3) DE23/062

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 DE23/052 between Hamburg-Wandsbek and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Ro and with route DE23/063 between Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Ro and Abzw Oberhafen.

Hamburg-Bergedorf (Rothenburgsort) – Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen)

[100, 120] (ERA-E 45C5 not shown; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119C3-119D3) DE23/063

This line is used by trains between the Büchen line and Hamburg-Harburg if not calling at Hamburg Hbf. It is common with DE23/062 and DE23/064 between Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Ro and Hamburg-Harburg.

Trains usually join or leave the main line to Büchen by line 1280 at Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Tk (Tiefstack) but may also join further west, via line 1291, at Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Rop. Trains were diverted this way, not calling at Hamburg Hbf or Dammtor but calling additionally at Hamburg-Bergedorf, between 15 and 27 July 2023. A traveller during this period reported that the route via line 1280 was preferred in both directions, with trains waiting for this line to clear before proceeding, rather than using the alternative line 1291.

Pinneberg (Hamburg-Eidelstedt En) – Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen) (via Hamburg-Lokstedt and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Ro)

[131] (ERA-E 45B5-45C5; ERA-R 82B5-82B4; S+W 120B1-119C3) DE23/064

This route comprises the Hamburg Ring line from the Elmshorn line around the north and east sides of the city (DE23/061) with the connection towards Hamburg-Harburg, avoiding Hamburg Hbf (DE23/062 and 063).

Between 4 and 18 March 2023, IC trains between south of Hamburg and Westerland (Sylt) were diverted this way, running non-stop between Hamburg-Harburg and Itzehoe.

Trains between south of Hamburg and Westerland (Sylt) or Kiel Hbf were diverted this way between 15 and 27 July 2023, running non-stop between Hamburg-Harburg and Itzehoe or Neumünster. Westerland / Dagebüll trains run combined to and from Niebüll, with the higher train numbers being used for the Dagebüll portions. Note that the engineering work notice suggested diversions from Friday 14 - Friday 28 July inclusive but DB journey planner timings omitting calls at Hamburg Hbf confirmed these were only between 15 and 27 July.

D		ICE279	Kiel Hbf – 07:17 Neumünster – Basel SBB
D		IC2311/2315	Westerland (Sylt) / Dagebüll Mole – 11:59 Itzehoe – Köln Hbf
D		IC2373/2375/2379	Westerland (Sylt) / Dagebüll Mole – 13:29 Itzehoe – Karlsruhe Hbf
D		ICE377	Kiel Hbf – 15:15 Neumünster – Basel SBB
D		ICE270	Karlsruhe Hbf – 11:28 Hamburg-Harburg – Kiel Hbf
D		IC2310/2312	Köln Hbf – 12:47 Hamburg-Harburg – Westerland (Sylt) / Dagebüll Mole
D		IC2374/2376	Karlsruhe Hbf / Stuttgart Hbf – 15:19 Hamburg-Harburg – Westerland (Sylt) / Dagebüll Mole
D		ICE370	Basel SBB – 17:28 Hamburg-Harburg – Kiel Hbf

Hamburg to København H trains were diverted to start and terminate at Hamburg-Altona so did not use this route.