Hitachi Rail has been instrumental in upgrading the signalling on the railway line between Hamburg and Berlin, one of Germany’s most important lines.

The line between Hamburg and Berlin reopened last Sunday, 14th June, after a comprehensive upgrade to improve performance and reliability. It is a key corridor for both passenger and freight transport, and the focus of the upgrade was the complete renewal of signalling and train control systems on the 200-kilometre section of line between Paulinenaue and Schwanheide.

Hitachi Rail was the technology partner to DB InfraGO AG for the upgrade, and by using its ESTW L90 signalling system on a modern hardware platform, the company also made the infrastructure ready for any future enhancements.

The upgrade forms part of a nationwide programme for modernising key rail corridors throughout Germany, as well as the Trans-European Transport Network, to increase rail capacity on key routes.

Crucial to the upgrade’s sustainablility was close coordination with the client and all project stakeholders, to enable its successful deployment on one of Germany’s main transport corridors.

As well as this German project, Hitachi Rail has commissioned new electronic signalling systems in Norway and Romania.

“The modernisation of the Hamburg–Berlin line shows how complex the comprehensive renewal of existing infrastructure is in an operational rail environment—especially when many core systems are being worked on at the same time. What really matters is that all parties involved work closely and effectively together.”

André Fritzsche, Project Manager, Hitachi Rail Germany