A holistic CO2 reduction strategy has been implemented since 2022 for the realization of underground line 5 in Hamburg. The pioneering approach of reducing construction-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at an early stage through a targeted sustainability strategy with concrete measures in project management, planning and execution has received great approval from experts.
The pilot project is a core element of the mobility turnaround in Hamburg to shift traffic, an important building block for achieving the city‘s climate targets and at the same time poses major challenges for the structural implementation in the heart of the northern German city. The approximately 25 km long U5 line begins in the north-east of the city and, with 22 new stations, will also connect previously unconnected districts to the public transport network. It will be put into operation in stages by 2040 and will carry around 315 000 passengers a day once it is completed. The new subway line 5 connects the east of Hamburg from the “Bramfeld” station via the main railway station to the “Arenen Volkspark” station in the west (Fig. 1).
Over a route length of around 25 km, 22 new stations are being built using the cut-and-cover method. The average depth of the platforms is approx. 15 m. The majority of the line is being excavated by TBM. Since the ground-breaking ceremony on September 30, 2022, the first, approximately 5.8 km long section between the Bramfeld and City Nord stations has been under construction. The remaining section of the U5 to the east and west of the Alster, up to the arenas, is currently still in the design planning stage. In future, the U5 will run as a fully automatic, driverless subway line every 90 seconds, covering the entire route in around 40 minutes.
