Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has opted for the renovation of the Hamburg – Hanover HSR line instead of a new construction along the A7 motorway. The general refurbishment originally planned for 2026 will also be postponed until 2029 to be able to implement the "Alpha-E" expansion and new construction project, which involves lines around Hamburg, Bremen and Hanover, as far as possible. At the same time, solutions for the long-term capacity requirements between Hamburg and Hanover are to be developed on the basis of the 2040 transport forecast currently being prepared. Back in September 2023, the federal and state governments and German state railway DB agreed on a general refurbishment instead of a new construction of the line.
