Line length 103 km Operating speed Route number 121 | Electrification 15 kV, 16.7 Hz Maximum incline 20 ‰ Line number 1720 | |
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Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄2 in) | ||
The Lower Elbe Railway (German: Niederelbebahn or Unterelbebahn), is a railway line between Hamburg and Cuxhaven in northwestern Germany, which was opened in 1881 by the Lower Elbe Railway Company (Unterelbesche Eisenbahngesellschaft). At 103.6 kilometres of length, the line runs close to the southern bank of the Lower Elbe river.
Line features
The Lower Elbe Railway is a main line since 1964 and is currently listed as Kursbuchstrecke 121. The line is part of the Strecke 1720, with the kilometrage starting at Lehrte near Hanover.
The line features two tracks on most sections, except between the stations Himmelpforten and Hechthausen. The line has been electrified between Hamburg and Stade since 1968.
The Hamburg S-Bahn line to Neugraben runs parallel to the line since 1984; and since 2008, toward Stade, using dual-voltage vehicles.
The trains between Cuxhaven and Hamburg have been operated by metronom since late 2007.