Railway falters on Fehmarn Belt project, potentially affecting Bunte in Papenburg?
The highly anticipated Fehmarnbelt crossing project, which aims to connect Denmark and Germany with a rail link, is currently facing challenges. Despite construction on the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link tunnel being underway and major tunnel works ongoing, the completion of the German railway link on the mainland side is experiencing significant delays.
The Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link tunnel, scheduled for completion by 2029, will span 88 km of new track in Germany from the island of Fehmarn to Lübeck, integrating with the German railway network and allowing speeds up to 200 km/h. Deutsche Bahn (DB) officially began construction of the rail connection on the German side as of early August 2025, emphasizing the importance of this corridor for European freight and passenger traffic.
However, the German Federal Railway Authority (EBA) has announced a delay, meaning the rail connection on the German side—including work presumably involving companies like the Papenburger company Bunte—will not be ready by the tunnel opening in 2029 but delayed until possibly the end of 2032. This delayed completion could potentially breach the state treaty with Denmark, affecting the seamless integration of the whole link.
In the meantime, the Fehmarn Sound Bridge remains open to all transport except rail during construction, and work is ongoing on electro-mechanical installations and associated infrastructure. The delay in the hinterland connection for the Fehmarnbelt crossing is a setback for both DB and its partners, including Bunte in Papenburg, who are working diligently to complete the project.
The Fehmarnbelt crossing project, a crucial link in European transport infrastructure, is now expected to be in service around 2032 instead of the original 2029 target. While the tunnel itself may open earlier, the connecting railway infrastructure on the German mainland side will lag behind. The project's team, including Bunte in Papenburg, continues to work tirelessly to overcome these challenges and bring the Fehmarnbelt crossing to fruition.
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