It connects with the America Line to Stendal and the Weser-Aller Railway to Minden and Rotenburg an der Wümme.

There is a controversial proposal to construct a high speed Y-line connecting Hanover to Hamburg and Bremen, which would somewhat reduce passenger train times and create greater capacity for freight.

These services are operated by DB class146.1 (TRAXX) trains at speeds up to 160 km/h hauling five (Bremen–Hanover) or six (Norddeich Mole–Hanover) carriages.

In December 2011 Regio-S-Bahn Bremen/Niedersachsen was introduced between Verden and Bremen, replacing Regionalbahn (RB) trains.

Also in December 2011 erixx replaced RB trains on the America line, now offering service between Uelzen and Bremen at 2 hour intervals.

The Seelze marshalling in Hanover yard is a major node for rail freight transport in northern Germany.