The Heath Railway is important for commuter traffic to Hanover and Hamburg as well as for day tourists.
The RB 38 service runs hourly each day over the entire line between Hanover and Buchholz (Nordheide).
By the time of the timetable change in 2016, however, only the line between Hanover and Soltau (Han) was served hourly on weekends.

The line is approved for a top speed of 120 km/h.
On its southern section between Langenhagen and Bennemühlen the Heath Railway is electrified and forms line S 4 of the Hanover S-Bahn network.
The track has been doubled as far as Bissendorf.
The northern end between Buchholz in der Nordheide and Handeloh is part of the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) network.
On the line between Handeloh and Soltau the HVV fare tariff is restricted to season tickets.

Because the Hamburg–Uelzen–Hanover and Hamburg–Rotenburg (Wümme)–Verden (Aller)–Hanover routes are much faster, the Heath Railway is of little importance for through services; the journey from Hamburg to Hanover via Soltau takes at least 2 hours, 32 minutes according to the winter 2016/2017 timetable.
No through connexions are offered; for example passengers have to change in Buchholz (Nordheide), Soltau and/or Bennemühlen.

There are regular goods trains only on the southern part of the line to Walsrode.

Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen AG (OHE) won the tender for the Heath Railway and took over operations at the timetable change in December 2011 for eight years.
For this purpose, they founded a new subsidiary, Heidekreuzbahn GmbH, which was renamed Erixx GmbH on 18 April 2011.
The Heath Railway is important for commuter traffic to Hanover and Hamburg as well as for day tourists. The RB 38 service runs hourly each day over the entire line between Hanover and Buchholz (Nordheide). By the time of the timetable change in 2016, however, only the line between Hanover and Soltau (Han) was served hourly on weekends.
The line is approved for a top speed of 120 km/h. On its southern section between Langenhagen and Bennemühlen the Heath Railway is electrified and forms line S 4 of the Hanover S-Bahn network. The track has been doubled as far as Bissendorf. The northern end between Buchholz in der Nordheide and Handeloh is part of the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) network. On the line between Handeloh and Soltau the HVV fare tariff is restricted to season tickets.
Because the Hamburg–Uelzen–Hanover and Hamburg–Rotenburg (Wümme)–Verden (Aller)–Hanover routes are much faster, the Heath Railway is of little importance for through services; the journey from Hamburg to Hanover via Soltau takes at least 2 hours, 32 minutes according to the winter 2016/2017 timetable. No through connexions are offered; for example passengers have to change in Buchholz (Nordheide), Soltau and/or Bennemühlen.
There are regular goods trains only on the southern part of the line to Walsrode.
Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen AG (OHE) won the tender for the Heath Railway and took over operations at the timetable change in December 2011 for eight years. For this purpose, they founded a new subsidiary, Heidekreuzbahn GmbH, which was renamed Erixx GmbH on 18 April 2011.
Heath Railway