▁Berlin ' s ▁Hamburg ▁station ▁( from ▁October ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁from ▁Lehr te ▁station ), ▁via ▁Sp and au , ▁Ne ust adt ▁( D os se ), ▁W itten ber ge , ▁Ludwig sl ust , ▁Bü chen ▁and ▁along ▁the ▁already ▁existing ▁ ▁route ▁of ▁the ▁Hamburg - Ber ged orf ▁Railway ▁to ▁the ▁Berlin ▁station ▁in ▁Hamburg . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁line ▁ran ▁through ▁the ▁territ ories ▁of ▁five ▁then ▁independent ▁countries ▁within ▁the ▁German ▁Confeder ation : ▁the ▁Free ▁and ▁Han se atic ▁City ▁of ▁Hamburg , ▁two ▁duch ies ▁ruled ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Den mark ▁( Hol stein ▁and ▁Lau enburg ), ▁the ▁Grand ▁Duch y ▁of ▁Me ck len burg - Sch wer in ▁and ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Pr uss ia . ▁Since ▁Ber ged orf ▁was ▁a ▁cond omin ium , ▁joint ly ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Free ▁Han se atic ▁City ▁of ▁Lü beck ▁and ▁Hamburg , ▁Lü beck ▁was ▁also ▁affected ▁by ▁its ▁construction . ▁ ▁On ▁ 8 ▁November ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁these ▁countries ▁joint ly ▁signed ▁a ▁treat y ▁that ▁specified ▁the ▁route ▁and ▁trans it ▁tar iffs . ▁A ▁company ▁was ▁established , ▁which ▁obtained ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁construct ▁and ▁operate ▁the ▁railway ▁in ▁these ▁countries ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 . ▁The ▁willing ness ▁of ▁Hamburg ▁and ▁Me ck len burg ▁to ▁sub scribe ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁share ▁capital ▁was ▁a ▁pr ere quis ite ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Berlin