Renovation work begins on Germany’s high-speed rail network

The ICE line renovation project is the first of many to come between now and 2030, says Deutsche Bahan. Image courtesy Deutsche Bahn

At a cost of approximately €90 million ($100 million), the modernisation project will see 35km of rails replaced between Hamm and Ahlen, in the Ruhr region of northern Germany, along with the replacement of two bridges.

A significant proportion of the project will revolve around a 650-tonne track reconstruction train, which can replace rails, sleepers and ballast in a single pass.

Work on the track is set to begin on October 11, with disruption – including the rerouting of long-distance trains – expected to continue until November 29.

The project is part of a wider Deutsche Bahn initiative to tackle a long-standing infrastructure maintenance backlog, with large-scale renovation projects planned across the country in the coming years.

By 2030, the company says it wants to renew as many as 40 major sections of the rail network.