Berlin U-Bahn
The Berlin U-Bahn (German: [ˈuː baːn]; short for Untergrundbahn, "underground railway") is a rapid transit system in Berlin, the capital and largest city of Germany, and a major part of the city's public transport system. Together with the S-Bahn, a network of suburban train lines, and a tram network that operates mostly in the eastern parts of the city, it serves as the main means of transport in the capital.
| U-Bahn Berlin | |
|---|---|
U1 crossing Oberbaum Bridge | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) |
| Locale | Berlin |
| Transit type | Rapid transit |
| Number of lines | 9 (numbered U1–U9)[1] |
| Number of stations | 175[1] |
| Daily ridership | 1,515,342 (average daily, 2017)[2] |
| Annual ridership | 553.1 million (2017)[2] |
| Website | BVG.de – Homepage |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | 15 January 1902 |
| Operator(s) | Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) |
| Train length | ~100 metres (328 ft 1 in) |
| Headway | 4–5 minutes (daytime) |
| Technical | |
| System length | 155.64 km (96.7 mi)[1] |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | 750 V DC Third rail |
| Average speed | 30.7 km/h (19.1 mph)[1] |
| Top speed | 72 km/h (45 mph) |
Opened in 1902, the U-Bahn serves 175 stations[1] spread across nine lines, with a total track length of 155.64 kilometres (96 miles 57 chains),[3] about 80% of which is underground.[4] Trains run every two to five minutes during peak hours, every five minutes for the rest of the day and every ten minutes in the evening. Over the course of a year, U-Bahn trains travel 132 million kilometres (82 million miles),[1] and carry over 400 million passengers.[1] In 2017, 553.1 million passengers rode the U-Bahn.[2] The entire system is maintained and operated by the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, commonly known as the BVG.
Designed to alleviate traffic flowing into and out of central Berlin, the U-Bahn was rapidly expanded until the city was divided into East and West Berlin at the end of World War II. Although the system remained open to residents of both sides at first, the construction of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent restrictions imposed by East Germany limited travel across the border. The East Berlin U-Bahn lines from West Berlin were severed, except for two West Berlin lines that ran through East Berlin (U6 and U8). These were allowed to pass through East Berlin without stopping at any of the stations, which were closed. Friedrichstraße was the exception because it was used as a transfer point between U6 and the West Berlin S-Bahn system, and a border crossing into East Berlin. The system was reopened completely following the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification.
The Berlin U-Bahn is the most extensive underground network in Germany.[1] In 2006, travel on the Berlin U-Bahn was equivalent to 122.2 million km (76 million mi) of car journeys.[5]
History edit
The Berlin U-Bahn was built in three major phases:
- Up to 1913: the construction of the Kleinprofil (small profile) network in Berlin, Charlottenburg, Schöneberg, and Wilmersdorf;
- Up to 1930: the introduction of the Großprofil (large profile) network that established the first north–south lines;
- From 1953 on: further development after World War II.
In a bid to secure its own improvement, Schönbrunn Palace also wanted a connection to Berlin. The elevated railway company did not believe such a line would be profitable, so the city built the first locally financed underground in Germany (intentionally using standard of KleinprofilBerlin U-Bahn rolling stock). It was opened on 1 December 1910. Just a few months earlier, work began on a fourth line to link Wilmersdorf in the southwest to the growing Berlin U-Bahn.[6]
The early network ran mostly east to west, connecting the richer areas in and around Berlin, as these routes had been deemed the most profitable. In order to open up the network to more of the workers of Berlin, the city wanted north–south lines to be established. In 1920, the surrounding areas were annexed to form Groß-Berlin ("Greater Berlin Act"), removing the need for many negotiations, and giving the city much greater bargaining power over the private Hochbahngesellschaft ("elevated railway company"). The city also mandated that new lines would use wider carriages—running on the same, standard-gauge track—to provide greater passenger capacity; these became known as the Großprofil ("large profile") network.[citation needed]
Construction of the Nord-Süd-Bahn ("North-South railway") connecting Wedding in the north to Tempelhof and Neukölln in the south had started in December 1912, but halted for the First World War. Work resumed in 1919, although the money shortage caused by hyperinflation slowed progress considerably. On 30 January 1923, the first section opened between Hallesches Tor and Stettiner Bahnhof (Naturkundemuseum), with a continuation to Seestraße following two months later. Desperately underfunded, the new line had to use trains from the old Kleinprofil network; the carriages exits had to be widened to fill the gap to the platforms with wooden boards that passengers jokingly referred to as Blumenbretter ("boards for flower pots"). The line branched at Belle-Alliance-Straße, now (Mehringdamm); the continuation south to Tempelhof opened on 22 December 1929, the branch to Grenzallee on 21 December 1930.[citation needed]
In 1912, plans were approved for AEG to build its own north–south underground line, named the GN-Bahn after its termini, Gesundbrunnen and Neukölln, via Alexanderplatz. Financial difficulties stopped the construction in 1919; the liquidation of AEG-Schnellbahn-AG, and Berlin's commitment to the Nord-Süd-Bahn, prevented any further development until 1926. The first section opened on 17 July 1927 between Boddinstraße and Schönleinstraße, with the intermediate Hermannplatz becoming the first station at which passengers could transfer between two different Großprofil lines. The completed route was opened on 18 April 1930. Before control of the U-Bahn network was handed over completely to the BVG in 1929, the Hochbahngesellschaft started construction on a final line that, in contrast to its previous lines, was built as part of the Großprofil network. The major development was stopped in 1930.[citation needed]
The seizure of power by the National Socialists brought many changes that affected Germany, including the U-Bahn. Most notably, the new national flag was hung in every station, and two of the stations were renamed. Extensive plans—mostly the work of architect Albert Speer—were drawn up that included the construction of a circular line crossing the established U-Bahn lines, and new lines or extensions to many outlying districts. Despite such grand plans, no U-Bahn development occurred. In the Nazi period the only addition to Berlin's underground railways was North–South Tunnel of S-Bahn, opened 1936–1939.[citation needed]
During the Second World War, U-Bahn travel soared as car use fell, and many of the underground stations were used as air-raid shelters; however, Allied bombs damaged or destroyed large parts of the U-Bahn system. Although the damage was usually repaired fairly quickly, the reconstructions became more difficult as the war went on. Eventually, on 25 April 1945, the whole system ground to a halt when the power station supplying the network failed. Upon unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany following the Battle for Berlin there were 437 damaged points and 496 damaged vehicles.[citation needed]
The war had damaged or destroyed much of the network; however, 69.5 km (43.2 mi) of track and 93 stations were in use by the end of 1945, and the reconstruction was completed in 1950. Nevertheless, the consequent division of Berlin into East and West sectors brought further changes to the U-Bahn. Although the network spanned all sectors, and residents had freedom of movement, West Berliners increasingly avoided the Soviet sector and, from 1953, loudspeakers on the trains gave warnings when approaching the border, where passage of East Germans into the Western sectors also became subject to restrictions imposed by their government. There was a general strike on 17 June 1953 which closed the sections of the Berlin U-Bahn that traveled through East Berlin. Just after the strike, on the following day, train service on the line A was resumed and the service C was resumed to provide connections to Nordbahnhof and Friedrichstraße.[citation needed]
Between 1953 and 1955, the 200-Kilometre-Plan was drawn up, detailing the future development of the U-Bahn, which would grow to 200 km (124.3 mi). Extending the C line to run from Tegel to Alt-Mariendorf was considered the highest priority: the northern extension to Tegel was opened on 31 May 1958. In order to circumvent East Berlin, and provide rapid-transport connections to the densely populated areas in Steglitz, Wedding, and Reinickendorf, a third north–south line was needed. The first section of line G was built between Leopoldplatz and Spichernstraße, with the intention of extending it at both ends. It had been planned to open the G line on 2 September 1961, but an earlier opening on 28 August was forced by the announcement of the construction of the Berlin Wall.[citation needed]
The next crisis was followed by the Berlin Wall construction on 13 August 1961, which had split the city between east and west. The U2 was split into two sections, and for the north–south lines, trains were not allowed to stop for passengers and become Geisterbahnhöfe ("ghost stations"), patrolled by armed East-German border guards. Only at Friedrichstraße, a designated border crossing point, were passengers allowed to disembark. A further consequence over the years is that most of the Berlin S-Bahn passengers boycotted the Deutsche Reichsbahn, and transferred to the U-Bahn with numerous expansion.[citation needed]
From 9 November 1989, following months of unrest, the travel restrictions placed upon East Germans were lifted. Tens of thousands of East Berliners heard the statement live on television and flooded the border checkpoints, demanding entry into West Berlin. Jannowitzbrücke, a former ghost station, was reopened two days later as an additional crossing point. It was the first station to be reopened after the opening of the Berlin Wall. Other stations, Rosenthaler Platz and Bernauer Straße on the U8 soon followed suit; and by 1 July 1990, all border controls were removed. In the decade following reunification, only three short extensions were made to U-Bahn lines.[citation needed]
In the 1990s some stations in the eastern portion of the city still sported bullet-riddled tiles at their entrances, a result of World War II battle damage during the Battle of Berlin. These were removed by 21 December 2004.[citation needed]
U-Bahn network edit
Routes edit
The U-Bahn has nine lines:
| Line | Route | Opened | Length | Stations | Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uhlandstraße – Warschauer Straße | 1902–1926 | 8.814 km (5.477 mi) | 13 | RAL 6018 | |
| Pankow – Ruhleben | 1902–2000 | 20.716 km (12.872 mi) | 29 | RAL 2002 | |
| Krumme Lanke – Warschauer Straße | 1902–1929 | 18.948 km (11.774 mi) | 24 | RAL 6016 | |
| Nollendorfplatz – Innsbrucker Platz | 1910 | 2.864 km (1.780 mi) | 5 | RAL 1023 | |
| Hauptbahnhof – Hönow | 1930–2020 | 22.081 km (13.720 mi) | 26 | RAL 8007 | |
| Alt-Tegel – Alt-Mariendorf | 1923–1966 | 19.888 km (12.358 mi) | 29 | RAL 4005 | |
| Rathaus Spandau – Rudow | 1924–1984 | 31.760 km (19.735 mi) | 40 | RAL 5012 | |
| Wittenau – Hermannstraße | 1927–1996 | 18.042 km (11.211 mi) | 24 | RAL 5010 | |
| Rathaus Steglitz – Osloer Straße | 1961–1976 | 12.523 km (7.781 mi) | 18 | RAL 2003 |
Stations edit
Among Berlin's 170 U-Bahn stations[1] there are many with especially striking architecture or unusual design characteristics:
Hermannplatz station resembles something of a U-Bahn cathedral. The platform area is 7 metres (23 ft 0 in) high, 132 metres (433 ft 1 in) long and 22 metres (72 ft 2 in) wide. It was built in connection with the construction of the first North-South Line (Nord-Süd-Bahn), now the U8. The architecturally important department store Karstadt adjacent to the station, was being constructed at the same time. Karstadt contributed a large sum of money towards the decoration of the station and was in return rewarded with direct access from the station to the store. Hermannplatz was also the first U-Bahn station in Berlin to be equipped with escalators. Today, Hermannplatz is a busy interchange between the U7 and U8.
Alexanderplatz station is another of the more notable U-Bahn stations in Berlin, and is an important interchange between three lines (U2, U5 and U8). The first part of the station was opened in 1913 along with an extension of today's U2 line. In the 1920s Alexanderplatz was completely redesigned, both above and below ground. The U-Bahn station was expanded to provide access to the new D (today's U8) and E (today's U5) lines, then under construction. The result was a station with a restrained blue-grey tiled colour-scheme and Berlin's first underground shopping facilities, designed by Alfred Grenander. Over the last few years Alexanderplatz station has, in stages, been restored; the work was due to be finished in 2007.
Wittenbergplatz station is also unusually designed. It opened in 1902 as a simple station with two side platforms, designed to plans created by Paul Wittig. The station was completely redesigned by Alfred Grenander in 1912, with five platform faces, accommodating two new lines, one to Dahlem on today's (U3), and the other to Kurfürstendamm, today's Uhlandstraße (Berlin U-Bahn) on the (U1). A provision for a sixth platform was included but has never been completed. The redesign also featured a new entrance building, which blended into the grand architectural styles of Wittenbergplatz and the nearby KaDeWe department store. The interior of the entrance building was again rebuilt after considerable war damage during World War II, this time in a contemporary 1950s style. This lasted until the early 1980s when the interior was retro-renovated back into its original style. Wittenbergplatz station was presented with a London style "Roundel type" station sign in 1952, the 50th Anniversary of the Berlin U-Bahn. Today's station is an interchange station between the U1, U2 and U3 lines.
The name of the Gleisdreieck (rail triangle) station is reminiscent of a construction which can only be imagined today. The wye was built in the opening year 1902. Plans for a redesign were made soon after, because the wye was already obsolete. An accident on 26 September 1908, which claimed 18 to 21 lives, was the final straw. The redesign and expansion of the transfer station, during which the station was still used, took until 1912. After World War II the station was put back into service on 21 October 1945 (lower platform) and 18 November 1945 (upper platform). However, service was interrupted again by the construction of the Berlin Wall. From 1972 onwards no trains ran on the lower platform, because servicing the U2 was no longer profitable due to the parallel traffic on the U1. The lower platform was reactivated in 1983, when the test line of the M-Bahn was built from the Gleisdreieck to the Kemperplatz station. It was broken down again after the fall of the Berlin Wall, since it obstructed parts of the reopened U2. Since 1993 the U1 and U2 trains both service the station again.
Tickets edit
Berlin public transit passes are available from many places, automated and non-automated, from BVG, Bahn, and authorized third-parties. The Ring-Bahn Line and the other S-Bahn lines are included, as are all U-Bahn lines, buses, trams, ferries, and most trains within the city limits: tickets are valid for all transportation considered part of the Berlin-Regional public transit system.
The Berlin U-Bahn mostly runs on an honor system and has been noted for its relative lack of turnstiles in its stations; instead transportation agents will inspect tickets and fine fare evaders.[7]
Ride-passes (tickets) are available in fare classes: Adult and Reduced. Children between the ages of six and 14 and large dogs qualify for the reduced fare. Children below the age of six and small dogs travel free. There are senior discounts in the form of an annual ticket. Residents who have applied for and received a German Disability Identification card confirming 80% or more disability (ID's available from the Versorgungsamt, German Disability Office), can ride without a pass, including an additional person (as a helper). The disability identification card must be in the owner's possession when traveling.
With unemployment in the east averaging 15%, another common fare class in Berlin is the S(ocial)-Class. These identification cards are cleared through the normal government offices, then fulfilled at a BVG ride-pass non-automated location. Provided either by the Job Center (Arbeitsamt) for out-of-work residents or by the Sozialamt for people who cannot work or are disabled, the S-Class ride-passes normally restrict travel to the AB zones and must be renewed (a new pass purchased at a non-automated location) on the 1st of each month.
Additional passes are available for those which want to bring a bicycle on the public transit system. A bicycle-pass is included in the Student-class ride-pass, which is provided through the universities.
For small dogs which can be carried there is no additional fare requirement. For each "large dog", a reduced fare ride-pass must be purchased. Tourist ride-passes, all-day, group passes, and season passes include a dog fare.
BVG ride-passes are issued for specific periods of time, and most require validation with a stamping machine before they are first used. The validation shows the date and time of the first use, and where the ticket was validated (in code), and therefore when the ticket expires. For example, once validated, an all-day pass allows unlimited use from the time of purchase to 3:00 am the following day. Unlike most other metro systems, tickets in Berlin are not checked before entering tram, U-Bahn or S-Bahn stations. They are however checked by the bus drivers upon entering. On the tram, S-Bahn and U-Bahn, a proof-of-payment system is used: there are random spot checks inside by plain-clothed fare inspectors who have the right to demand to see each passenger's ticket. Passengers found without a ticket or an expired/invalid ticket are fined €60 per incident. The passenger may be required to pay on the spot, and is required on the spot to give a valid address to which the relevant fine notice can be mailed (it does not have to be in Germany). On the third incident, the BVG calls the offender to court, as there is now a history of 'riding without paying'.
- Fare zones
- Berlin is a part of the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (Berlin-Brandenburg Transit Authority, VBB), which means ticketing and fare systems are unified with that of the surrounding state of Brandenburg. Berlin is divided into three fare zones, known as A, B, and C. Zone A is the area in the centre of Berlin and is demarcated by the S-Bahn urban rail ring line. Zone B covers the rest of the area within the city borders, and Zone C includes the immediate surroundings of Berlin. Zone C is divided into eight parts, each belonging to an administrative district. The Potsdam-Mittelmark area is included in the city district of Potsdam.
- Tickets can be bought for specific fare zones, or multiple zones. Most passengers who live in Berlin buy AB fare zone tickets, while commuters coming in from the suburbs need ABC fare zone tickets. If a ticket not valid for travel in a tariff zone is checked by a ticket inspector, the passenger is subject to a fine.
- Short-term tickets
- Single-journey tickets (Einzeltickets) are issued for use within specific fare zones, namely AB, BC, and ABC. They are only valid for two hours after validation, and cannot be extended. The BVG also offers single-day tickets (Tageskarte), which are valid for the entire day when first validated until 3 a.m. the next morning.
- Long-term tickets
- Long-term paper tickets are issued with validity periods of seven days (7-Tage-Karte), one month (Monatskarten), or one year (Jahreskarte). The BVG is in the process of introducing the plastic MetroCard as a yearly ticket that also has additional features. The Metrocard also permits passengers to make reservations for hire cars at specific times, for example on weekends. It is expected that plastic Metrocards without such features will also be made available as they are more durable and ecofriendly than the paper tickets.
- Tourist passes
BerlinWelcomeCard, 2017 - The BVG offers tickets directed specifically for non-resident tourists of Berlin called the WelcomeCard and CityTourCard [1]. WelcomeCards are valid for either 48 or 72 hours, and can be used by one adult and up to three children between the ages of six and 14. WelcomeCards are valid in fare zones ABC, and have the additional benefit of a reduction on entry fees to many museums and tourist attractions. See the Current Prices and Descriptions link for more information.
Underground facilities edit
A full GSM (GSM-900 and GSM-1800) mobile phone network for Germany's four carriers is in place throughout the U-Bahn system of stations and tunnels. This system was in place by 1995 for the E-Plus network, and was one of the first metro systems in the world to allow mobile telephone use; by the late-1990s the other networks could be used in some portions as well. Since 2015, UMTS and LTE is also available for E-Plus and O2 (LTE since 2016) customers,[8] and since 2020 mobile reception in some underground sections has also been extended to Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone Germany customers, with complete reception for the latter two telcos expected to be realised by mid-2021.[9]
Many of the carriages on the U-Bahn feature small flat screen displays that feature news headlines from BZ, weekly weather forecasts, and ads for local businesses.
Most major interchange stations have large shopping concourses with banks, supermarkets, and fast food outlets.
Unused stations and tunnels edit
There are several stations, platforms and tunnels that were built in preparation for future U-Bahn extensions, and others that have been abandoned following planning changes. For example, platforms have already been provided for the planned "U3" at Potsdamer Platz on the planned line to Weißensee. It is unlikely that this line, which had the working title "U3" will ever be built, so the platforms have been partially converted into a location for events and exhibitions. The line number "U3" has been used to re-number the branch to Krumme Lanke, which had been part of "U1".
Line D, today's U8, was intended to run directly under Dresdner Straße via Oranienplatz to Kottbusser Tor. This segment of tunnel was abandoned in favour of a slightly less direct route in order to provide the former Wertheim department store at Moritzplatz with a direct connection. This involved the construction of a 90-degree curve of the line between Moritzplatz and Kottbusser Tor stations. The construction of the tunnel under Dresdner Straße had only been partially completed before abandonment, leaving it with only one track. This tunnel is separated into three parts, as it was blocked by a concrete wall where it crossed the border between East and West Berlin. Another concrete wall separates this tunnel, which now houses a transformer for an electricity supplier, from the never-completed Oranienplatz Station which is located partially under the square of the same name.
Stralauer Tor was a station on the eastern bank of the Spree between Warschauer Straße and Schlesisches Tor stations. It was completely destroyed in World War II. It had been opened in 1902 and was renamed Osthafen in 1924. Today, only struts on the viaduct remain to indicate its location. In the post-Second World War period it was not thought necessary to rebuild the station, due its close proximity to the Warschauer Straße station. Also its location was directly on the border between the Soviet and American sectors. Although a Berlin map dated 1946 shows the station renamed as Bersarinstraße after the Soviet General responsible for restoring civil administration of the city, this name was used later at another location.
Nürnberger Platz station was closed on 1 July 1959. It was replaced by two new stations on either side, Augsburger Straße and an interchange station to the U9 at Spichernstraße. Today, nothing remains of the station as a third track siding was constructed in its place.
Another tunnel, which once connected the U4 to its original depot and workshop at Otzenstraße (Schöneberg), is still in existence. The connection from Innsbrucker Platz station to the depot was severed when a deep level motorway underpass was constructed in the early 1970s; however, the continuation of the tunnel at Eisackstraße is still in existence for a distance of 270 metres and now ends at the former junction to the workshop of the Schöneberg line.
Platforms at five stations, Rathaus Steglitz, Schloßstraße, Walther-Schreiber-Platz, Innsbrucker Platz, and Kleistpark, were provided for the planned but never constructed U10. The U10 platform at Kleistpark has been converted into office space for the BVG. At Schloßstraße, U9 and U10 were planned to share two directional platforms at different levels; the would-be U10 tracks have been abandoned, leaving both platforms used by U9 trains only. The other U10 platforms remain unused and are not generally open to the public.
During the construction of Adenauerplatz (U7) station, which was built in conjunction with an underpass, platforms were also provided for a planned U1 extension from Uhlandstraße to Theodor-Heuss-Platz. A short tunnel section was also constructed in front of the Internationales Congress Centrum (ICC), beneath the Messedamm/Neue Kantstraße junction. This tunnel was built concurrently with a pedestrian subway and was also intended for the planned extension of the U1. The tunnel section, approximately 60 metres (196 ft 10 in) long, ends at the location of the planned Messe station adjacent to Berlins central bus station (ZOB). The tunnel is used as a storage area for theater props.
At Jungfernheide station, double U-Bahn platforms similar to those at Schloßstraße were built for the planned extension of the U5. The unused platform sides are fenced off. The finished (U5) tunnel section which leads off towards Tegel airport is now used for firefighting exercises.
On 4 December 2020, the U5 extension between Alexanderplatz and Brandenburger Tor was opened. This included the new Unter den Linden station, which acts as a transfer point between the lines U5 and U6. Französische Straße station on the U6 was simultaneously closed due to its short distance to the new station.
Future development edit
Berlin's chronic financial problems make any expansion not mandated by the Hauptstadtvertrag—the document that regulates the necessary changes to the city as the capital of Germany—unlikely. Furthermore, there is still great rivalry for construction money between the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. After the construction boom that followed the reunification of the city, enthusiasm for further growth has cooled off; many people feel that Berlin's needs are adequately met by the present U- and S-Bahn. As of 2020, the only proposals receiving serious consideration aim to facilitate travel around the existing system, such as moving Warschauer Straße's U-Bahn station closer to its S-Bahn station.
There are several long-term plans for the U-Bahn that have no estimated time of completion, most of which involve closing short gaps between stations, enabling them to connect to other lines. This would depend on demand, and new developments in the vicinity. New construction of U-Bahn lines is frequently the subject of political discussion with the Berlin chapters of the CDU, FDP and AfD who usually advocate in favor of U-Bahn expansion while the SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens and The Left typically advocate for tram construction instead.
After the last extension of U5 opened on 4 December 2020, there are no immediate plans to expand the metro system due to lack of budgetary conditions, although there are several extensions of railway lines that can be discussed over time:
| Line | Stretch | Projects |
|---|---|---|
| U0 | Ringlinie | U0 was announced in March 2023 as per "Express Metropolis Berlin" (BVG 2050). The route will likely go along: Pankow - Antonplatz - Lichtenberg - Tierpark - Schöneweide - Alt-Mariendorf - Rathaus Steglitz - Breitenbachplatz - Westkreuz - Kaiserdamm - Jungfernheide - Hakenfelde - Urban Tech Republic - Kurt-Schumacher-Platz - Residenzstraße - Wollankstraße - Pankow. |
| Heerstraße – Karow-Ost | The segment between Uhlandstraße and Wittenbergplatz might be extended to Westkreuz, Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Gatower Straße before going to Heerstraße. There's a discussion, whether the U1 should be extended towards the Berlin Ostkreuz station, the most important and frequented S-Bahn station in all of Berlin. The line may also be extended to Frankfurter Tor, before connecting to Antonplatz, Weißensee and goes all the way to Karow-Ost. | |
| Rosenthaler Weg – Stadtrandstraße | Following the extension of the U2 to Pankow in 2000, there are plans to continue on to Ossietzkyplatz and Rosenthaler Weg. CDU plans has been extended to Rosenthaler Weg. In the west, an extension is planned from Ruhleben to the U7 terminus, Rathaus Spandau with five more stations to Stadtrandstraße and Falkenhagener Field. Only the extension to Rosenthaler Weg is approved in the financial scenario 2030 of the Berlin Senate and has a real chance to be realized. | |
| Düppel-Kleinmachnow – Falkenberg | For the southern extension it will take place within two phases. The first phase will be completed by 2026 and it will extend the U3 towards the Berlin Mexikoplatz station which is shorter part and is 700m. In December 2022, the State of Berlin has advertised feasibility study. A central platform west of Mexikoplatz, is planned with three-track parking and turning system connected to the platform. There are plans to integrate the transition between the two modes of transport into S-Bahn infrastructure. The second phase, although it will only happen in the far future, will be to extend the U3 to Bahnhof Düppel, Düppel-Kleinmachnow and Machnower Schleuse. There are also discussions on the U3 extension after Wittenbergplatz, to go through Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz, before connecting with the S-Bahn at Greifswalder Straße, terminating for short Weißensee before going to Karow-Ost and Falkenberg. This line will be operated by driverless trains in the far future. | |
| Glambecker Ring – Appenzeller Straße | In March 2023, there were plans to extend the line - to meet U11 at Hauptbahnhof via Magdeburger Straße, Tiergarten and goes straight to Hauptbahnhof, and proceeding to Glambecker Ring. The U4 will then continue alongside the failed U10 routing (previously was removed from the Berlin transport master plan and land use plans), to Lichterfelde and Appenzeller Straße via Drakestraße. | |
| Hönow – Rathaus Reinickendorf | A plan to extend the line further westward from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Tegel Airport, via Turmstraße and Jungfernheide, postponed in the long term due to budgetary constraint and closure of the airport, was later shelved in favor of a tram line alternative. In March 2023, plans to revive the line extension went forward. | |
| Alt-Tegel – Nahariyastraße | After the closure of Tegel Airport, the U6 will definitely have a branch from Kurt-Schumacher-Platz and continue to the west, to Tegel Airport. A feasibility study that it will work with either U65, or completely new line, "U75" from Rathaus Reinickendorf to Jungfernheide being studied in 2020, taking over the former U5 westward extension. This was succeeded by "U0" in March 2023. Plans in March 2023 were to extend the line from Alt-Mariendorf to Nahariyastraße. | |
| Flughafen BER – Staaken | It is planned to extend the U7 in the north-west to Staaken and Gatower Straße. Due to budgetary situation of the Berlin Senate, the extension is not expected before the year 2050. There were discussions on U7's extension from Rudow to Berlin-Brandenburg Airport via Rudow-Süd for a very long time. These plans had already been shelved as the expected patronage was not deemed high enough to justify such an expansion. | |
| Buckow-Süd – Märkisches Viertel | In the north, an extension to the large housing estate named Märkisches Viertel is discussed. As this would only require a 1.2-kilometer extension, this would be a cheap means of expansion for the U8 past its current end point, Wittenau. However, there has been no concrete planning lately for this addition. | |
| Buckower Chaussee – Pankow-Heinersdorf | Plans in March 2023 were to extend the line from Rathaus Steglitz to Lankwitz and Buckower Chaussee, and also extend the line from Osloer Straße, via Pankow-Kirche to Pankow-Heinersdorf. | |
| Falkenberg – Drakestraße | U10 was in former 200-km plans since 1955. However, the route goes from Falkenberg, to Weißensee, then to Potsdamer Platz, followed by turning towards Innsbrucker Platz and Rathaus Stegliz, in order to go Drakestraße (Lichterfelde). Planning for the U10 was officially removed from the Berlin transport master plan in 2003 (Measures 2015), and it is no longer considered part of the public transport network master plan through at least 2030. Nevertheless, the line remains part of Berlin's Land-use plan since 1994, which means that new construction works along the planned route have to accommodate the eventuality of such a line. |
Berlin Transport Minister Manja Schreiner (CDU) and Economy Minister Franziska Giffey (SPD) have underlined the local government's plans to extend the ends of each of the city's nine underground lines so that they reach the city's limits with the neighbouring state of Brandenburg.
"We must radically extend all the U-Bahn lines," Giffey told the Tagesspiegel newspaper. "We must offer Berliners a vision as to which routes we will tackle first," Schreiner added. Speaking to the dpa, Schreiner added that "Masterplan 2030" was crucial for many reasons: "More public transport means better climate protection, a better quality of life and more suitable mobility for everyone in the city."
Here's how the city plans to expand Berlin's nine existing underground lines - as well as building an additional two lines to serve travellers:
Ringlinie U0 - The outer Ringbahn This is perhaps the biggest part of the project and one that will impact the most people. While Berlin's current Ringbahn - a circular line which rides an hour-long stretch around the city, connects U-Bahn lines to each other about mid-way through their routes - the local government plans for the U0 Ringlinie to connect the ends of each U-Bahn line that sprawls to near the outskirts of the city.
Since this part of the expansion project is particularly ambitious, it may be many, many years before you can step onto a U0 Ringlinie train.
U1 - Spandau to Weißensee Currently, the U1 is simply a horizontal route which connects the east and west of central Berlin. Under the new plans, the U1 will reach Heerstraße in Spandau at one end and run through to Antonplatz in Weißensee at the other. With the plans, Antonplatz is set to become a new connection hotspot, where the U0 Ringlinie, the U1 and U3 will intersect.
U2 - Spandau to Pankow This line will be expanded again into Spandau and towards the northeast to Pankow. The final stop in the northeast will be Pankow Kirche in the Pankow Altstadt.
U3 - Zehlendorf / Kleinmachnow to Falkenberg This will be the only U-Bahn line that may even cross outside Berlin's borders with Brandenburg, reaching into Düppel-Kleinmachnow.
For now, though, the plans are just for the line to be extended to Mexikoplatz (S1), which reaches the border of Schlachtensee. If the funding is secured, the expected five-year-long construction process should begin swiftly and the U3 could reach Mexikoplatz by 2030.
U4 - Lichterfelde to Marzahn This line will connect two very different parts of Berlin in what will be the biggest line extension of the project by far. At the moment the U4 is Berlin's baby U-Bahn line; the yellow one that stretches a modest four stops between Innsbrucker Platz and Nollendorfplatz without leaving the central southwest of the city.
Under the new plans, the line will be hugely extended at both ends, ultimately connecting Lichterfelde to Marzahn.
U5 - Charlottenburg to Hönow Only recently was the U5 extended from Alexanderplatz to Hauptbahnhof and the line is already set for another development, but one not quite as ambitious as the U4 development.
Since the U5 already reaches quite far on its eastern side, to Hönow, it will only be extended in the west and even then only to Jungfernheide, the Ringbahn station that lies in northern Charlottenburg.
U6 - Tegel to Lichtenrade As with the U5, the U6 will only be extended at one end of the line, in the south of the city. The new line will continue to run from Alt-Tegel, but instead of ending its journey at Alt-Mariendorf, will continue on to Naharlystraße in Lichtenrade.
U7 - Spandau to BER Airport Already one of the city's longer U-Bahn routes, the U7 will be extended from Rathaus Spandau in the west, adding a new stop so it comes to meet the new U1 line at its terminal. In the southeast, the train will basically replace the current X7 bus route, which runs from Rudow to BER Airport.
U8 - Reinickendorf to Buckow One of Berlin's most infamous lines, shamelessly voted to have the highest number of "disgusting" stations, the northern part of U8 will be expanded from Wittenau to reach the Märkisches Viertel in Reinickendorf. In the south, it will extend from Hermannstraße to Buckow-Süd.
U9 - Pankow to Buckow Another of Berlin's most important north-south lines, the U9 will see considerable expansion at both ends. In the north the orange line will extend out from Wedding into Pankow and, in the south, the line will go quite far south of Steglitz to reach Buckower Chausee, south of Tempelhof-Schöneberg.
U10 - Alexanderplatz to Weißensee And a new addition! The highly-awaited U10 should run from Alexanderplatz to Weißensee. Portions of the U10 have remained under the city's streets since the plans for the line were scrapped in the 1970s, earning it the name Phantomlinie (Phantom line). And when the U5 line was extended to Hauptbahnhof in 2020 an extra platform was built at U-Bahnhof Rotes Rathaus with the future U10 in mind.
New U-Bahn stops to expect on the U10 line are; Am Friedrichshain, Marienburger Straße, Danziger Straße, Greifswalder Straße, Gürtelstraße and Falkenberger Straße - but don't get too excited, the funds are yet to be secured for this one.
Rolling stock edit
The Berlin U-Bahn uses 750-volt DC electric trains that run on standard gauge (1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) ) tracks. The first trains were based on trams; they have a width of 2.30 m (7 ft 6+9⁄16 in), and take their power from an upward facing third rail. To accommodate greater passenger numbers without lengthening the trains—which would require costly extended platforms—trains that ran on lines built after World War I were required to be wider. The original trains and lines, which continued to operate, were designated Kleinprofil (small profile), and the newer, wider trains and lines were designated Großprofil (large profile). Großprofil trains are 2.65 m (8 ft 8+5⁄16 in) wide, and take their power from a downward facing third rail. This is similar to New York City's