The U5 will run here later:
The U5 at a glance:
Sustainability
The reduction strategy:
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions during construction, we have developed a two-pronged reduction strategy. The first prong involves optimising all planning activities, whilst the second focuses on specifically minimising GHG emissions during the construction of the U5.
-70 per cent:
A reference calculation for the construction of the U5 line indicates greenhouse gas emissions of around 2.7 million tonnes of CO₂e. According to current calculations, this figure can be reduced by around 70 per cent through optimised planning and the use of lower-emission construction methods and materials.
This is how we make concrete savings:
- Sustainability criteria are a key factor in the awarding of our construction contracts. We expect our contractors to use resources responsibly and to employ building materials with a proven reduced carbon footprint.
- We use certified green electricity on our building sites.
- Through efficient site management, which minimises empty journeys and shifts transport to rail and waterways wherever possible, we aim to reduce emissions and traffic congestion.
Construction method
The tunnelling machine:
The U5 will be running almost continuously underground. A tunnel machine therefore functions as a complete factory deep underground. Its cutting wheel clears the way for the tunnel, prefabricated concrete elements are then assembled by it. At the end, there are finished underground railway tubes into which the tracks for the U5 will fit. The tunnel machine is expected to complete around eight metres per day.
Open construction method:
While the tunnel machine makes its way through the ground, all the stops and emergency exits are being built with open excavations.
Find out more?
Further information on the construction method can be found here (German).
Automation
90-second cycle:
With the U5, HOCHBAHN will set new standards in terms of service and comfort and is building one of the most modern underground railway lines in Europe. Fully automated, it can run at 90-second intervals at peak times and thus travel ‘on demand’. The U5 is therefore geared towards people, no longer people towards the underground.
The DT6:
A new generation of vehicles will then be travelling on the U5. The DT6-A will be Hamburg's first fully automated underground railway. The first vehicles are scheduled to be in test operation on the first U5 section at the beginning of 2028.
How safe are fully automated underground trains?
Automatic underground services are considered to be very safe and is state of the art in new underground railway construction worldwide. In an emergency, however, our staff in the control centre can also intervene, stop the train, unlock individual doors or send help. You can find out more about the technology here (German).
Financing
Benefit-cost factor:
The U5 also pays off economically despite the high investment costs. For every euro invested, the U5 will later return 1.27 euros to Hamburg. This is confirmed by the benefit-cost factor of 1.27 calculated as part of the standardised assessment, which means that the investments are offset by significantly higher benefits. This is due in particular to shorter journey times and thus recovered journey times, lower greenhouse gas emissions by switching from cars to the U5 and the urban space freed up by shifting traffic to the underground U5.
Federal Government funding:
With this very good cost-benefit ratio, the U5 is not only worthwhile, but also eligible for funding. For the first section from Bramfeld to City Nord, the city and HOCHBAHN received a funding commitment from the federal government for up to 75 per cent of the eligible costs. An initial allocation of federal financial aid totalling 70 million euros was already allocated at the end of 2023.
Total costs:
The long-term estimate for the total cost of the U5 until completion in 2040 is between 14 and 16.5 billion euros.
Citizen participation
Why citizen participation?
We are not building new underground lines or stops for our own sake, but for the people of Hamburg. That's why we take them on board at an early stage - long before the first train rolls.
That's how it works:
In a comprehensive participation process, we take up concerns and suggestions in a direct dialogue between our planning professionals and local people. Knowledge of the neighbourhood is an invaluable added value for us and enriches the planning process. This is why we organise local information events, have representatives for the individual projects in the district and visit district committees, associations, clubs and initiatives.
Participate online:
On our platform schneller-durch-hamburg.de you will not only find information and updates on the projects and construction sites, but you can also actively participate in online dialogues. With the U5 newsletter, you will also receive all the latest news straight to your inbox. Unfortunately, these offers are only available in German.
The construction phases:
Bramfeld - City Nord
Before the tunnel machine can make its way along this first section, which is almost six kilometres long, the excavation pits for the four new U5 stops and six emergency exits have to be built. This has been taking place along the route since the ground-breaking ceremony in autumn 2022. The tunnel machine is expected to start from the shaft east of the Sengelmannstraße stop in the direction of Bramfeld from 2027. Once it has bored and lined the tunnel, construction of the stops can begin. We expect it to take around two years to build each stop.
However, while construction is still underway in the east of Hamburg, the U5 is already scheduled to run. We are planning a trial run on the section between Sengelmannstraße and City Nord from 2027, followed by operation with passengers from 2029.
City Nord - Jarrestraße
The planning for this section was completed in summer 2024. The next step will be the review by the planning approval authority, which will then issue the building permit. If this is granted, the first preparatory construction measures could take place in 2026, followed by construction work on the tunnel and stations.
The U5 is scheduled to stop at Borgweg as early as 2033 and will also allow passengers to change to the U3 here. The Jarrestraße stop is also expected to open in 2035. Three emergency exits will also be built along the 2.6 kilometre route. In addition to the two stops, the emergency exits and the section of track between the Borgweg and Jarrestraße stops will be open. The sections between City Nord and Borgweg and south of Jarrestraße will be bored underground using a tunnelling machine. The costs for this section will amount to around 1.5 billion euros. The Hamburg Senate has already approved the funding. An application for funding will also be submitted to the federal government for this section.
Jarrestraße - Arenas
On the following sections through the city centre to the arenas, the in-depth planning is in various stages, such as design and approval planning.
On its way from Jarrestraße, the U5 will run through St. Georg via the main railway station through the city centre to the university. From there it will continue northwards, connecting the UKE to the underground network, and from Siemersplatz it will turn westwards and terminate at the arenas.
Arenas - Osdorfer Born
The U5 is to be extended by around four kilometres and two stops west of the arenas in Volkspark to Lurup and Osdorf. Originally, it was supposed to end at the arenas. This will give tens of thousands of Hamburg residents on the western outskirts of the city direct access to rapid transit for the first time. A preferred option for the route and stops is expected to be available in spring 2026. Preliminary planning is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. By 2040, passengers should already be benefiting from shorter journey times and frequent services.
More underground projects for Hamburg:
U4 Horner Geest
The U4 underground line is currently being extended to Horner Geest with two new stops. The neighborhood is becoming a prime example of the mobility revolution. Improvements for pedestrians and cyclists are also being considered along with the construction of the underground.
U4 Grasbrook: Leap over the Elbe
We are extending the U4 underground line to the new Grasbrook district. This will be the first time Hamburg's underground will travel south of the Elbe. Next stop: Wilhelmsburg?
U3 Fuhlsbüttler Straße
Here in the heart of Barmbek, residents find just about everything they need - except their own underground stop. That's why we're planning another stop for the U3 between the Habichtstraße and Barmbek stations.
Our subway network
Over 100 kilometers of fast mobility: With the U1, U2, U3 and U4 lines, we bring Hamburg to the most important places in the city. And: our network continues to grow ...
Citizen participation
Ideas and suggestions are needed here: HOCHBAHN is expanding its subway network enormously over the next few years, creating new connections. It is involving the people of the city in the open planning process at an early stage - both digitally and on site.
Barrier-free expansion
More than 90 percent of our 93 underground stops have now been refurbished, have (partially) elevated platforms and a tactile guidance system for blind and visually impaired people. Now a few more "heavyweights" are to follow on the road to accessibility.