Works are beginning for Hamburger Hochbahn’s new zero emission bus depot in Meiedorf (ready in 2026)

Hamburger Hochbahn will have a new, first, all electric bus depot operational in 2026. According to plans, the new Hochbahn site in Meiedorf will host 130 e-buses serving north-east of the city.

By the end of 2023, Hochbahn will already be operating around 230 emission-free buses. By 2030 the full 1,100 bus fleet will be coverted to zero emission technologies.

Works are set to begin in December. Earthworks will then follow in January and the excavation pit will be dug in the spring.

Zero emission buses currently operate from the Alsterdorf and Hummelsbüttel depots. The other bus depots are gradually being converted to emission-free drive systems. Other new locations are also being added: in Veddel, a pure e-bus depot is also being built with the Zusammenhub, not far from which is a new central workshop for the south of Hamburg.

New Hochbahn Meiedorf bus depot

The new bus depot in Meiedorf will cover around 28,000 square meters and will be home to around 130 solo and articulated buses. In addition to administrative and social areas, the bus depot will also include workshops and washing facilities where the buses will be prepared, serviced, repaired and maintained. The buses are parked under carports, which are equipped with the necessary charging infrastructure.

All roof surface will be fitted with photovoltaic systems and used as rainwater storage tanks. The collected rainwater is used in the car wash and then recycled.

The waste heat from the charging infrastructure is used to supply heat to the courtyard, Hochbahn states. Facades and noise barriers will be greened.

In future, the depot will provide better access to the north-east of Hamburg (especially Bergstedt, Volksdorf, Rahlstedt, Sasel and Farmsen-Berne). The buses at the Meiendorf location are stationed closer to their actual operating points, which avoids unnecessary empty runs.

Jens-Günter Lang, Chief Technical Officer of HOCHBAHN: “Meiendorf will be the first bus depot without diesel buses. Only environmentally friendly e-buses will start from here. To convert the bus fleet to emission-free drives, not only enough buses have to be purchased, but the entire infrastructure also has to be rebuilt. We are very pleased that we have found an ideal location in Meiendorf so that environmentally friendly e-buses will also be on the road in the north-east of Hamburg from 2026.”