Opportunity to build on a plot of land next to the suburban railway line?

Friends of ours have also built directly next to an S-Bahn in Hamburg. At first, I was quite skeptical, but inside the house, you can hardly hear anything. And they are maybe 10-15m away from the tracks.

OMG just stay away! Noise is the worst environmental poison and can really make you sick! I can't imagine in summer in the garden every 8 minutes a train passing by and then constantly having to close windows when you want to sleep! Sometimes it's better to do without building than to regret it afterward! Far too many bad compromises!

Personally, it would also be a no-go for me if there are alternatives. However, if these are not affordable,... Well. Personally, I really appreciate peace in the house, and train noise can be really annoying.

Parents-in-law live directly next to the ICE line with S-Bahn and freight traffic, about 20 meters from the tracks.

In the old house, you had to stop the conversation when a train came.

In the new one, really good soundproof windows plus extra quiet roller shutter boxes are installed. Thick walls made of sand-lime brick. The result inside is very well done, you only get a slight vibration and a very faint whisper!

I would use the money saved on the land partly not only for the windows but also for a controlled residential ventilation system. And if you are allowed to use the excavation from the slab for that (the plot is really long), build an earth mound at the boundary next to the railway.

5050 Maybe you could settle down on the property for a whole day during the next warm days with deck chairs, a picnic basket, a cooler bag, and reading material, and take in the S-Bahn situation for a longer time. I think if the house is placed closer to the small street with a west-facing terrace and the garden extends towards the back in the direction of the S-Bahn, it can really turn out well.

What is the advantage here? Apart from the fact that the parents remain the owners until the end?

Exactly, that already represents quite a smooth "two" in inheritance tax planning.

OMG just stay away! Noise is the worst environmental poison and can make you seriously ill!

Maybe you could settle down on the property for a whole day during the next warm days with deckchairs, a picnic basket, a cooler bag, and reading material and let the S-Bahn situation affect you for an extended period.

That’s what I was about to suggest, that’s the best way to assess it concretely for yourself.