Chaos in the Havelland: Railway renovation forces commuters to detour!

Chaos in the Havelland: Railway renovation forces commuters to detour!

From August 2025, the railway line between Berlin and Hamburg, also known as Hamburg's railway, will be renovated for nine months and partially completely blocked. This has far -reaching consequences for commuters from the Havelland, which must expect considerable detours during this time, since many cities and municipalities are separated from rail traffic, including Falkensee, where around 10,000 people commute to Berlin every day. Deutsche Bahn plans to bring these commuters to Dallgow-Döberitz with replacement buses, from where they can continue to drive on the train. This change will not only present residents with challenges, but will also affect the flow of traffic in the affected regions.

Falkensee Mayor Heiko Richter has already applied for an additional express bus from Falkensee to Berlin-Spandau, which should only drive during peak times. However, the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB) and the train rejected this proposal because they fear traffic jams on the route. Richter also expressed concerns that the infrastructure in Dallgow-Döberitz is not designed for the expected commuters and demands portable promotion alternatives. The municipality of Brieselang is also decoupled from train traffic for the entire duration of nine months and residents are to be brought to Wustermark with replacement buses.

reactions from local politics

The mayor of Brieselang, Kathrin Neumann, already criticized the inadequate rail replacement planning, which is unable to adequately transport students and older people. The municipalities of Nauen, Brieselang, Falkensee, Wustermark and Dallgow-Döberitz have therefore developed a rectification catalog that is to be sent to the train. In this situation, however, the municipality of Wustermark could emerge as a "winner" because it will benefit from extended bus connections.

The railway and the Ministry of Transport Brandenburg provided the municipality of Wustermark 900,000 euros to improve the infrastructure. This includes the construction of a new parking space with 220 parking spaces and a bicycle parking garage with 200 places that are already underway. Dallgow-Döberitz also plans to expand his station with an additional parking space to better react to the increased demand.

replacement traffic and challenges

The primary goal of replacement traffic is to offer all passengers a comfortable travel option. It is ensured that every passenger is offered a seat, but there are concerns about the high number of passengers. Due to the limited capacities of the available buses, it could be difficult in the Falkensee area to provide sufficient seats during peak times. The high demand therefore requires a significant use of additional buses, which in turn must not lead to the burden of existing traffic flows.

These construction measures are part of a larger trend in rail transport that has led to an increase in passenger numbers in recent years. In 2023, a record of 429 billion person kilometers of people on the rail was covered by EU, the highest value since data acquisition began in 2004. This indicates the growing importance of racing rails, especially in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland, where the highest number of passengers were recorded.

The challenges that result from the upcoming construction work will take a special examination in the affected communities and the traffic authorities could force to rethink their plans again to ensure a smooth flow of traffic during this time. The reactions of the commuters and municipalities will therefore be of great importance in the coming months.