Hamburg, Germany, April 30, 2026. Construction of the new subway line by HOCHBAHN U5 Projekt GmbH is currently Germany’s largest subway building project. Twenty-four new stations are being built over a total distance of twenty-nine kilometers, connecting entire urban districts – such as Bramfeld and Osdorf – to Hamburg’s rapid transit network for the first time. Fully automated and running every 90 seconds at peak times, the driverless subway will transport more than 315,000 passengers a day from point A to point B. Drees & Sommer SE is responsible for overall construction management and technical supervision of work on the City Nord U5 station and the associated tunnel section. The consulting firm specializes in construction, real estate and infrastructure. Commissioning of the first section is scheduled for end-2029.
Hamburg has been growing slowly but steadily over the years. The Northern Statistical Office (Statistikamt Nord) forecasts that Hamburg’s population will probably exceed two million for the first time in 2030i. This growth can already be seen: road traffic is heavy in many places, while local public transport is getting closer to capacity. The new U5 subway line is expected to significantly ease inner-city traffic congestion while also promoting the shift toward green modes of transport.
State-of-the-art technology means that trains can run on demand at frequent intervals, providing passengers with a comfortable travel experience. By connecting residential areas and key locations, such as the University of Hamburg (UHH), the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) or the Volkspark soccer stadium to the fully-automated U5 line, a lot of people could be encouraged to switch from driving to using the subway. This would result in a reduction in motor vehicle traffic, more space in the city and noticeably less congested roads.
Efficient Planning Helps Reduce Greenhouse Emissions
Apart from the enhanced mobility offer, sustainability aspects are key in the U5 construction project. The new line will be powered entirely by green electricity. Even during the construction phase, climate-friendly types of cement and steel, as well as smarter planning and construction processes, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 70 percent compared to conventional construction methodsii. Jan Marquis, who heads the project at Drees & Sommer, knows how to speed up building workflows. He and his team are responsible for overall construction management on the City Nord U5 station and the associated tunnel section. Besides other tasks, he coordinates all participating trades and monitors quality, costs and deadlines.
The civil engineer comments: “The building work will be carried out using a multi-shift system to ensure that the construction schedule is efficient. Coordination, records and minutes, reports and approval processes must also be completed in a significantly shorter time. So, it is our task to ensure that all participants communicate with each other in a clear and efficient manner, and that the subproject is carried out within the agreed budget and timeframe.” Drees & Sommer’s team systematically documents all meetings, progress of the work and decisions by means of a customized live dashboard. “Everyone involved in the project knows where it stands at all times. If there are delays somewhere, we can react in time and take targeted measures,“ Jan Marquis adds.
Gradually towards Fully-Automated Operation
Construction of the new U5 line is highly demanding from a technical viewpoint: “The U5 subway line is designed for driverless operation. Hence, the highest level of automation has been reached: Grade of Operation 4 Unattended Train Operation (GoA4, UTO),” explains Jan Marquis. The safety plan includes automatic platform doors that separate the platform from the track area. “This is particularly challenging in terms of building automation, energy supply and communication technology,” he continues. Architecturally, too, the U5 subway line sets new standards: the design by Hadi Teherani, a renowned Hamburg-based architect, is being implemented at the City Nord station for the first time, serving as a model for the other stations of the U5 line.
To ensure that all the systems interact seamlessly later on, each of the construction phases must be precisely coordinated from a technical standpoint. The civil engineer says: “For this reason, we will closely interact with the team responsible for system technology to make sure that all technical standards are complied with and a secure operation is guaranteed.“ Construction work is already going at full speed at the new U5 subway station City Nord and the adjacent tunnel section. Both are part of the first phase with a length of 5.8 kilometers and five stops. The German federal government will cover up to 75 percent of the eligible costs. Following the planned start of trial operation in 2027, the section of the line between City Nord and Sengelmannstrasse is scheduled to open to passengers at the end of 2029. Completion of the entire first section between City Nord und Bramfeld is planned for 2033.
[i] Bevölkerungsprognose für die Hamburger Stadtteile - Statistik Nord(available in German only, population projection for Hamburg’s districts)
[ii] The U5 for Hamburg | Hamburger Hochbahn AG