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 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 Hbf and Hamburg Rothenburgsort Ro.
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 DE22/052 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)
[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. Trains between Hamburg Hbf and Elmshorn may be diverted this way if the main line via Dammtor is blocked.
Hamburg-Wandsbek – Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen) (via Horn and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort)
[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 and with route DE23/063 between Hamburg-Rothenburgsort and Abzw Oberhafen.
Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen) – Hamburg-Bergedorf (Rothenburgsort)
[100, 120] (ERA-E 45C5 not shown; ERA-R 82B4; S+W 119C3-119D3) DE23/063
This line is used by trains between the Hamburg-Harburg and Büchen lines, if not calling at Hamburg Hbf. Trains may join or leave the main line to Büchen by line 1280 at Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Tk (Tiefstack) or further west, via line 1291, at Hamburg-Rothenburgsort Rop.
Pinneberg (Hamburg-Eidelstedt En) – Hamburg-Harburg (Abzw Oberhafen) (via Hamburg-Lokstedt and Hamburg-Rothenburgsort)
[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 (DE23/063).
Between 4 and 18 March 2023, IC trains between south of Hamburg and Westerland (Sylt) are diverted this way, running non-stop between Hamburg-Harburg and Itzehoe.
D | IC2311 | Westerland (Sylt) – 11:59 Itzehoe – Köln Hbf | |
D | IC2375 | Westerland (Sylt) – 14:39 Itzehoe – Frankfurt (Main) Hbf | |
D1 | IC2310 | Köln Hbf – 12:46 Hamburg-Harburg – Westerland (Sylt) | |
D2 | TWX | IC2374 | Frankfurt (Main) Hbf – 15:19 Hamburg-Harburg – Westerland (Sylt) |
D1: 4 to 18 March 2023; not 5 March
D2: 4 to 18 March 2023; not 13 March