No duds from the Second World War were found during the search at two railway overpasses near Hamburg Central Station. Excavations at five suspected sites had instead unearthed metal, said a fire department spokesman. According to Deutsche Bahn, there are still restrictions in rail traffic because the tracks still have to be restored. Trains from Berlin, Hanover and Bremen already end at the main station or even in Harburg.
The important route between the main train station and Altona has been closed to long-distance and regional traffic since Friday evening. Many trains only run from or to Harburg or Altona. The two railway bridges are partly over 100 years old and need to be renewed. Extensive soil investigations in the area between the Inner and Outer Alster had shown abnormalities, according to the Deutsche Bahn.
The route will be closed until 5 a.m. on Monday
The closure of the route is expected to last until 5 a.m. on Monday morning, it said. The S-Bahn was not initially affected by the line closure, it said.
For travelers from Schleswig and Flensburg, Altona is the end of the line. Trains from southern and western Germany in the direction of the North Sea or Kiel are also diverted via Rothenburgsort in the east of Hamburg. In the event of a necessary evacuation, it could not be ensured that all Hamburg train stations would be approached, the train said. Those who switch to the car could get caught in a traffic jam not only in the city but also on the highways. There are new construction sites both on the A7 in the south of Hamburg and on the A1 in the southeast of the city.
The “Ferdinandstor” railway overpass dates from 1962, the “An der Alster” overpass partly from 1901. According to Deutsche Bahn, around 900 regional and long-distance trains roll over the bridges every day. The structures had reached the end of their technical useful life, it was said. They are to be demolished in the coming year and then replaced by new buildings by the end of 2025.
This article was updated at 4 p.m.
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