Weekend rail works cut Berlin–Cottbus services

Rail passengers between Berlin and Cottbus face serious disruption on the weekend following 17 October 2026 because of construction work along the Lower Lusatian line. Deutsche Bahn is cancelling several regional services between the capital and the Lusatian city and sending passengers onto replacement buses that need noticeably longer than the regular trains, Berliner Zeitung reports. Travellers are urged to plan for extra time, check timetable apps shortly before departure and consider alternative routes via Lübbenau or Senftenberg. The work is part of a larger upgrade of the Berlin–Cottbus corridor, which is seen as strategically important for the planned rail hub Cottbus and for commuters from southern Brandenburg. Cycling associations complain that bike transport on replacement buses is limited, and passenger groups criticise that weekend engineering work keeps hitting the same line. Regular service is expected to resume on Monday morning.