Left Party Criticizes Increased Breakdowns on Hadag Ferries - Hamburg’s Hadag ferry expansion backfires with rising cancellations in 2025
Hamburg’s ferry operator Hadag expanded its services in 2025, yet faced growing airport delays and cancellations. The company added thousands of trips across its network, but some routes saw a sharp rise in scrapped journeys. Passengers on key lines, particularly to Finkenwerder, reported worsening reliability under new leadership.
In 2025, Hadag introduced around 7,700 extra trips over the last four months of the year. This boost contributed to an 11% increase in services for the entire year. Line 64 alone saw about 600 more monthly journeys compared to the previous period.
Despite the expansion, cancellations climbed. On Line 64, roughly 450 services were scrapped—only slightly fewer than in 2024. Routes to and from Finkenwerder suffered the most, with 400 more cancellations in late 2025 than the year before. Hadag blamed the disruptions on harsh winter weather, staff shortages, and new labour rules. Claudia Rahn took over as CEO in 2025, though the exact link between her appointment and the operational struggles remains unclear. Heike Sudmann, transport spokesperson for the Left Party, criticised the situation. She insisted that residents of Finkenwerder should no longer face unreliable planning center services. Her comments added pressure on Hadag to address the ongoing issues.
The ferry operator now faces the challenge of balancing service growth with operational stability. Cancellations have risen despite the expanded schedule, leaving passengers on critical routes frustrated. Hadag must resolve staffing and weather-related problems to meet demand reliably.
