November 29th 2021 was the official start of the German part of the Fehmarn project, when the first sod was taken on Fehmarn.
Since then, the 90-hectare construction site on Fehmarn has gradually taken shape, e.g. with the work habour and the tunnel portal, which are situated east of the ferry port in Puttgarden.
Four significant construction works
In 2023, the Fehmarn project will make further advances on the German side with four significant construction tasks:
- The work harbour in Puttgarden will be taken into use
- The preparations for a submerged tunnel under the Fehmarn Sound will be made
- The first bridge over the future railway line will be built
- Electrification of the railway network will be prepared
The work harbour will be taken into use this year
Construction work on the Fehmarn project's work harbour in Puttgarden, east of the ferry port, is so far advanced that the facility can be taken into use during the first half of 2023.
The majority of the building materials for the German part of the project have to be shipped to Fehmarn in order to reduce the inconvenience to road traffic.
At the same time, the excavation for the tunnel channel will continue, in order to prepare for casting the tunnel portal itself.
Submerged tunnel under the Fehmarn Sound
In 2023, Deutsche Bahn will begin preparations for a submerged tunnel under the Fehmarn Sound.
With a length of 1.8 kilometers and with four lanes for road traffic and two tracks for high-speed trains, the tunnel will be a "mini version" of the Fehmarn tunnel.
The new tunnel will replace the current Fehmarn Sound bridge built in 1963, that will, in turn, be upgraded to handle slow-moving traffic.
A series of earthworks will continue in 2023 on Fehmarn, and the first bridge to carry traffic over the future railway line will be built.
During the year, preparations for a new bridge will also begin in connection with the new alignment of Bundesstraße 207 between Puttgarden Ferry Port and Heiligenhafen.
Upgrading the railway network
Deutsche Bahn will begin work on the electrification of the rail network in 2023.
DB wants to upgrade and create a direct, fast and environmentally friendly connection between Hamburg, Lübeck and Copenhagen, which will be important for train transport far beyond the Fehmarn Belt region.
The upgrade will provide the necessary capacity to handle the ever-growing traffic flows through Europe in a long-term and environmentally friendly way.
Deutsche Bahn expects to be ready with the upgrade for the opening of the Fehmarn connection at the end of 2029, when the travel time by train between Hamburg and Copenhagen will be reduced to 2 ½ hours.