Hamburg reports record start‑up growth and new regional rail line amid construction delays

Hamburg posted the strongest increase in new start‑ups among Germany’s major cities in the first half of 2026, with 212 firms added and a national total of 3,053 new companies, a third of which rely on artificial intelligence. In 2025 the city recorded 5,365 marriages – the highest number since 2019 – with May seeing the most ceremonies, while divorces rose 2.9% to 2,688.

Infrastructure projects also made headlines. Poor soil conditions pushed back work on the Sternbrücke bridge by two weeks, with the structure now slated to reopen on 31 August. The regional railway operator Metronom won an EU‑wide tender to run the RE 5 line between Hamburg and Cuxhaven starting in December 2027. Meanwhile, the housing sector saw new construction orders plunge to €84.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, even as economic‑building orders surged by 148%. A reform of KITA fees will raise the income threshold for contributions and increase the maximum cap from 191 € to 320 € in August 2027.