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Berlin was restored as the German capital right after the unification of the two German states in 1990 and has about 3.5 million inhabitants. The city has one of the oldest and most extensive metro networks in Europe. The rapid transit network actually consists of two independent systems, the U-Bahn with 9 lines, and the S-Bahn. In 1993 the Verkehrsgemeinschaft Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) was founded to organize all public transport both in Berlin and the surrounding State of Brandenburg.

- The first U-Bahn line opened in 1902 between Warschauer Brücke (now Warschauer Straße) and Knie (now Ernst-Reuter-Platz), with a branch to Potsdamer Platz. This first line (see map) was mainly elevated. In the following years the network grew steadily towards the west (today's U2 west) and branches were built to the south (today's U1 south, U3 and U4). The original line was also extended into the city centre from Potsdamer Platz as far as Spittelmarkt (U2). At the beginning of World War I in 1914, Berlin's U-Bahn network already had a total length of 37.8 km. The older lines belong to the small profile network (2.3m wide cars, 8-car-trains). (See Network map 1920)

- In 1923 the first section of a new north-south line opened (former Line C, now U6) between Seestraße and Hallesches Tor right through the city along Friedrichstraße. This was the first of the large profile lines (2.6m wide cars). From then on Berlin's U-Bahn grew again very fast until 1930 began. By then U1, U2, U3, and U4 existed as we know them today (then operated as Line A and B), U5 from Alexanderplatz to Friedrichsfelde (Line E), U6 Seestr.-Tempelhof, U7 (as a branch of U6) from Mehringdamm to Grenzallee, U8 Gesundbrunnen-Leinestraße (Line D) (See Network map 1940).

- After the war, the U-Bahn and S-Bahn kept running from one side of Berlin to the other until the Wall was built in 1961. Today's U2 was split into two lines, U1 was cut off at Schlesisches Tor and U6 and U8 began travelling through East Berlin skipping all stations on GDR territory (ghost stations). An exception was Friedrichstraße (U6) which was a border crossing for pedestrians and a transfer point to the S-Bahn.

- While Berlin was a divided city (See Network map 1961), on the eastern side only U5 was extended, mainly on the surface, towards the east to new residential areas (1973 Tierpark, 1989 Hönow). In the west a new line was added, a north-south link avoiding the historic centre: U9 (opened between 1961 and 1976). U7 turned out to be an important link between the southeast and the west. It reached its southern terminus at Rudow in 1972 and Rathaus Spandau in the west in 1984.

- After the Berlin Wall was torn down in Nov. 1989, all ghost stations were reopened as soon as possible, U2 was restored though partly rebuilt and reopened in 1993, and two years later, in 1995, also U1 returned to its original terminus at Warschauer Straße, across the traditional Oberbaum-Bridge.

- In the meantime U8 was extended towards the north to Wittenau (1994) and south to Hermannstraße (S-Bahn-Ring, 1996). In October 1998, a new station, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park, was added to line U2 between Gleisdreieck and Potsdamer Platz to improve access to the new Potsdamer Platz area. After some years of construction a short extension from Vinetastraße to Pankow was eventually opened on 16 Sept. 2000. The new terminus station is situated right under the S-Bahn station.

- After 9 years of existence, line U15 disappeared from the map, instead the number U3 was reintroduced on 12 Dec 2004, now serving the Nollendorfplatz - Krumme Lanke stretch.

Currently, Berlin's U-Bahn network is about 146 km long, U7 being the longest line with 32 km and U4 the shortest with only 3 km.

U-Bahn Detailed History

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Photos © R. Schwandl (UrbanRail.Net)

You can also visit André Loop's great U-Bahn Gallery (incl. many UrbanRail.Net pictures)

The Berlin S-Bahn may be considered a metro in its own right for the following reasons:
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The network can be classified into three groups of lines:

1- Stadtbahn lines - S3, S5, S7, S75, S9 (Spandau <> Ostkreuz), lines serving the eastwest route through the city centre, all on the surface, in the centre mainly on a viaduct

2- Nordsüdbahn - S1, S2, S25, S26, lines operating north-south through the city tunnel

3- Ringbahn - S41 (clockwise), S42 (anti-clockwise), S45, S46, S47, S8, S9 (Ostkreuz <> Flughafen Schönefeld), lines running on the circular route and the southeastern branch (Görlitzer Bahn), all on the surface.

- In the middle of the 19th century, many radial lines were built from various termini around the current city centre. Along most of these lines a separate pair of tracks was added around the turn of the century. Meanwhile, the ring line was opened during the 1870's, followed by the Stadtbahn, which was inaugurated in 1882. At the time the U-Bahn began operating in 1902, tests for electric traction were also carried out on the suburban railway lines. The line from the former Potsdamer Bahnhof to Lichterfelde Ost was the first regular electric suburban service, while the other lines kept using steam locomotives until the 1920's. In 1924, today's system (800Vdc, third rail) was introduced on the line from Stettiner Bahnhof (now Nordbahnhof) to Bernau. Soon the other two northern lines (to Oranienburg and to Hennigsdorf / Velten) followed. The positive experience opened the doors for the 'Great Electrification' of the entire suburban network, which since 1 Dec 1930 has been called 'S-Bahn', the 'S' referring both to Stadt [city] and schnell [fast].

- While all suburban lines were converted from steam to electric traction, a north-south tunnel was built to link the northern and the southern lines. The first section from Stettiner Bahnhof to Unter den Linden opened in 1936 just before the Olympic Games. The remaining part followed in 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II. During the War, many routes and station buildings were damaged and it took several years until the whole network was in service again.

- Until 1961, S-Bahn trains kept running from East Berlin to West Berlin and back, but when the Wall was built, the network was cut in two, although both systems were operated by the East Berlin Reichsbahn as long as 1984. The erection of the Wall was the reason for a boycott in the West and S-Bahn installations deteriorated through the years. After a railway workers' strike in 1980, many western lines were closed down. In East Berlin, however, the S-Bahn became the backbone of the transport system and new extensions were built from Grünau to Königs Wusterhausen (1951), to Strausberg Nord (1956), to Schönefeld Airport (1961), to Ahrensfelde (1976-82) and to Wartenberg (1984/85).

- After the city's reunification in 1990, a lot of effort was put in restoring the former S-Bahn network to its 1961 status, especially the ring line. In December 1997 the connection between Neukölln and Treptower Park via Sonnenallee reopened, which allowed S4 trains to run 75% of the whole ring (between Schönhauser Allee and Jungfernheide). On 19 Dec. 1999, two more stations were put into service, Beusselstraße and Westhafen. From 16 Sept. 2001 trains also run from Schönhauser Allee to Gesundbrunnen (S4). Finally, on 16 June 2002, the section Gesundbrunnen - Westhafen also reopened. From then on trains running the full circle are labelled S41 (clockwise) or S42 (anticlockwise). After completing a full circle, these trains actually continue along one of the outer branches, either to Spindlersfeld (S47), Königs Wusterhausen (S46) or to Flughafen Schönefeld (S45). S8 trains from Zeuthen run along the eastern ring to Nordbahnhof, they will continue north towards Pankow once the link at the northern junction is finished.
- In January 1998 the first section of the Spandau branch now served by S9 and S75 opened from Westkreuz as far as Pichelsberg, the remaining section followed in Dec. 1998.
- S25 reopened in 1995 between Tegel and Lichterfelde Ost, being extended to Lichterfelde Süd and Hennigsdorf in late 1998. Some sections along this line were only rebuilt single-track, which only allows a 20-minute headway on the northern stretch scheduled to be upgraded in the near future. A 2.5 km, single-track extension was opened from Lichterfelde Süd to Teltow-Stadt on 24 Feb 2005.

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 Projects

Currently all U-Bahn expansion projects have been suspended because of lack of funds. There have, however, been some plans which are quite advanced:

In the city centre, around the Reichstag, new governmental buildings and a major railway station at Lehrter Stadtbahnhof are being constructed. Therefore construction work for an U5 extension westbound (Alexanderplatz - Rathaus - Schlossplatz - Unter den Linden Brandenburger Tor - Reichstag - Hauptbahnhof) has at least been started although it's not sure whether the line will definitely be built in the near future. In the long run this line might reach Tegel Airport.
In early 2004, a temporary solution was decided upon. From 2006, there will be a shuttle line, labelled U55, between Hauptbahnhof (Lehrter Bahnhof) and Brandenburger Tor (S Unter den Linden). Then by 2010, the city will start constructing the missing section between Brandenburger Tor and Alexanderplatz for completion by 2020. This way the city will not have to pay back the money already paid by the State. More info and photos here.

At Potsdamer Platz a future station for a planned line U3 is also incorporated into the new station complex for regional trains on the new north-south tunnel. This new line would run along Kurfürstendamm (now U15) via Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz to Weißensee in the northeast.
After having reached Pankow, line U2 might eventually be extended by one more station to Pankow-Kirche.
U7 might be extended from its southern terminus Rudow to Flughafen Schönefeld, which is now projected as Berlin's major airport.

After the S-Bahn was extended to Teltow-Stadt, there are no imminent plans for new extensions. A project to lay new tracks from Spandau to Falkensee have repeately been postponed. A new station Kolonnenstraße is planned on S1 between Yorckstraße and Schöneberg.

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The U-Bahn and the S-Bahn operate daily between 04:00 and 01:30. U-Bahn trains run every 3-5 minutes during rush hours and every 5-10 minutes off-peak. S-Bahn trains run every few minutes along the ring line and the other lines inside the ring, on branches within the city of Berlin a basic 10-minute headway is offered, outside Berlin trains run every 20 minutes.

From 16 June 2003, the following U-Bahn lines run every 15 minutes all night long on weekends: U15, U2 (Theodor-Heuss-Pl - Pankow), U5, U6, U7 (Jakob-Kaiser-Pl. - Rudow), U8, U9. Most S-Bahn lines also operate all night long on weekends, on outer branches every 30-60 minutes, and shorter intervals on some inner-city sections.

TICKETS AND FARES (08/2005)

The Greater Berlin area is divided into 3 zones, zone A covers everything within the S-Bahn ring line, zone B the rest of Berlin city, and zone C the surroundings included in the tariff system. Tickets can be bought for AB, BC or ABC. Prices shown here are in Euro for zones AB (Berlin city) and valid from Aug. 2003:

Single Ticket - 2.10 EUR (now only valid for trips in one direction, with transfer)
Short Trip - 1.20 EUR (up to 3 stations on U-Bahn or S-Bahn, no transfer)

Day Pass - 5.80 EUR
7-Days Pass - 25.40 EUR

Monthly Pass (Umweltkarte) - 67.00 EUR (not personal)
Monthly Pass after 10:00 - 49.50 EUR (not personal)

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BVG (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe - U-Bahn Official Site)

S-Bahn Berlin (Official Site)

VBB Online (Tariff union Berlin-Brandenburg)

Untergrundbahn - André Loop's great U-Bahn gallery (incl. many UrbanRail.Net pix)

Die Berliner Untergrundbahn by Marcus Schomacker (incl. historic network maps)

Berliner Verkehrsseiten by Markus Jurziczek

Berliner U-Bahn Archiv by Axel Mauruszat

Berlin Transport Page by Ralf Müller incl. map and track map

Berlin U & S-Bahn Gallery incl. all underground and elevated stations

U-Bahn Opening Dates

U-Bahnbilder by Patrick Popiol

U-Bahn-Museum (at U-Bahn station Olympia-Stadion - U2)

Berlin U-Bahn Signals by Wolfgang Meyenberg

Stadtschnellbahn Berlin - Geschichte und Geschichten rund um die Berliner S-Bahn (most extensive private website about the S-Bahn)

S-Bahn Museum (at S-Bahn station Griebnitzsee - S7)

Der S-Plan (a great simplified S-Bahn timetable)

Historische S-Bahn e.V.

S-Bahn pictures by John Morris

S-Bahn and U-Bahn operation from the beginnings until today by Holger Prüfert

OEPNV Berlin/Brandenburg (Public Transport in Berlin and Brandenburg) by Robert Haack

Berliner Unterwelten (Berlin Underground Worlds)

M-Bahn & S-Bahn photos by Michael Dittrich

Geschichte des Berliner Nahverkehrs

Last edition of East Berlin's S & U-Bahn-Network 1990 from my collection (109K)

Stadtentwicklung Berlin - Verkehr

BVG Online-Timetable or DB-Timetable (from door to door in Germany)

U-Bahn:

NEU: Andreas Biedl: Die Fahrzeuge der Berliner U-Bahn, Typ B. - June 2005, Neddermeyer, Berlin, ISBN 3933254566

Christoph Brachmann: Licht und Farbe im Berliner Untergrund. - Oct. 2003, 292 p. - Mann (Gebr.), Berlin, ISBN 3786124779

Robert Schwandl: BERLIN U-BAHN ALBUM. - All 192 Underground and Elevated Stations in Colour. - 144 p., 240 colour photos, map, German/English; July 2002, Berlin, ISBN 3-936573-01-8 More info

Verkehrsgeschichtl. Blätter e.V.(ed.): U5. Geschichte(n) aus dem Untergrund. Zwischen 'Alex' und Hönow. - 2003, GVE, ISBN 3-89218-079-2

Susanne Hattig, Reiner Schipporeit: Großstadt-Durchbruch. Pioniere der Berliner U- Bahn. Fotografien um 1900. - 2002, 176p, Jaron Verlag, ISBN 3897730642

Jan Gympel: U-Bahn Berlin. Geschichte(n) für unterwegs. - 256p., b/w, Verlag GVE, April 2002, ISBN 3892180725

Sigurd Hilkenbach, Uwe Poppel: Ein Jahrhundert Berliner U- Bahn in Streckenplänen und Fotos. [A century of Berlin U-Bahn in network maps and photos] - 80 pages, - Jaron Vlg., Berlin, 2002 ISBN 3897730499

Gauglitz, Gerd and Holger Orb: BERLINS S- UND U-BAHNNETZ. EIN GESCHICHTLICHER STRECKENPLAN. - 2001, Edition Gauglitz, ISBN 3-933502-09-8
Similar to London's Diagrammatic History, this huge map shows all opening (and closing) dates of all Berlin transit routes and stations.

Jürgen Meyer-Kronthaler, Klaus Kurpjuweit: Berliner U- Bahn. In Fahrt seit hundert Jahren. - 2001, bebra Verlag, Berlin

Hardy, Brian: THE BERLIN U-BAHN. Capital Transport, 1996. - Well illustrated handbook.

Domke, P. und M. Hoeft: TUNNEL, GRÄBEN, VIADUKTE. - 100 Jahre Baugeschichte der Berliner U-Bahn. - Kulturbild-Verlag, 1998. A good book that illustrates the history of Berlin's underground with lots of color and black and white photographs.

Meyer-Kronthaler, J.: BERLINS U-BAHNHÖFE. - Die ersten 100 Jahre. - be.bra Verlag, 1996. Illustrates the history of all Berlin underground stations in the first 100 years.

Gympel, Jan: U4 - DIE SCHÖNEBERGER U-BAHN - Gesellschaft für Verkehrspolitik und Eisenbahnwesen e.V, 114 pages, Nov. 2000 ISBN: 3892180903

U2. Geschichten aus dem Untergrund. - GVE e. V., 1998

U1. Geschichten aus dem Untergrund. - GVE, 1998

Lemke/Poppel: BERLINER U-BAHN. - 175 p., Alba, Düsseldorf, 1996. Well illustrated survey of the history of the Berlin Subway and Elevated Railway. Black & white and colour photographs.

Gottwaldt, Alfred: DAS BERLINER U- UND S-BAHNNETZ. Eine Geschichte in Streckenplänen. - Argon, Berlin, 1994. Excellent book showing all Berlin Network maps from 1888 until 1990 in full colour.

Papst, Martin: U- und S-Bahn-Fahrzeuge in Deutschland. München: GeraNova, 2000. ISBN 3932785185 German metro and suburban rail rolling stock, 160 pages

Günther Bellmann: Durch Berlin mit der U- Bahn. Wittenbergplatz bis Schönhauser Allee. 2001. bebra , Berlin

Handke, Stephan: BERLIN UND SEINE U-BAHN - 1994

Horst Bosetzky, Uwe Poppel: Tegel, Zurückbleiben bitte! - 135 p., Jaron Vlg., Berlin, 1999, ISBN 3897730006

Andreas Biedl, Norbert Walter: Die Fahrzeuge der Berliner U-Bahn, Typ E - 2001, ISBN 3933254175

S-Bahn:

NEW: Klaus Kurpjuweit, Bodo Schulz: Album Berliner Verkehr 1989/1990. - Nov. 2004, Neddermeyer; Berlin, ISBN 3933254469

NEW: Wolf-Dietger Machel: Berliner Schienennahverkehr. - Aug. 2004, 160 p. - Bruckmann, ISBN: 3765471348

NEW: Wolfgang Kiebert: Die Berliner S-Bahn 1924 bis heute. - 07/2004, 160 p., Transpress, ISBN: 3613712423

Manuel Jacob: Der elektrische Betrieb auf der Berliner S-Bahn, Bd 6: Das Netz wächst zusammen - 1980 - 2004. - 01/2004, 240 S. Neddermeyer, ISBN 393325423X

Wolfgang Kämmerer: 100 Jahre elektrischer Betrieb Berlin Potsdamer Bahnhof - Groß Lichterfelde Ost. - Okt. 2003, 96 S., Neddermeyer, ISBN 3933254396

Robert Schwandl: BERLIN S-BAHN ALBUM. - All 170 S-Bahn in Colour. - 144 p., 400 colour photos, maps, German/English; April 2003, Berlin, ISBN 3-936573-02-6 More info

Larissa Sabottka: Die eisernen Brücken der Berliner S- Bahn. Bestandsdokumentation und Bestandsanalyse. - 04/2003, Mann (Gebr.), Berlin, ISBN 3786124639

Susanne Dost: Richard Brademann (1884-1965) - Architekt der Berliner S-Bahn. - 2002, 232p., Neddermeyer ISBN 3933254361

Michael Bienert, Ralph Hoppe: Eine Stunde Stadt. Berliner Ringbahn- Reise. - 2002, 320p - Berlin Edition, ISBN 3814800966

Konrad Koschinski: Der elektrische Betrieb auf der Berliner S-Bahn, Bd 5: Auf Zeit getrennt - 1960 bis 1980. - 2002, Neddermeyer, ISBN 3-254933-22-1

Bernd Neddermeyer: Der elektrische Betrieb auf der Berliner S-Bahn, Bd.1, Dampf oder Elektrizität?. - 1999, Neddermeyer, ISBN 3933254051

Bernhard Strowitzki: S-Bahn Berlin. Geschichte(n) für unterwegs. - 288p., b/w, GVE Verlag, Berlin, April 2002, ISBN 3892180733

Hardy, Brian: THE BERLIN S-BAHN. Capital Transport, 1996. - Well illustrated handbook.

Jürgen Meyer-Kronthaler, Wolfgang Kramer: Berlins S- Bahnhöfe. Ein dreiviertel Jahrhundert. - 373 p. - bebra Verlag, Berlin, 1998, ISBN 393086360X

Günther Bellmann: Durch Berlin mit der S- Bahn. Savignyplatz bis Alexanderplatz. 2001, bebra, Berlin.

Behrens, A. und V. Noth: BERLINER STADTBAHN.- Bilder und Geschichten. - Ullstein, 1995. - Great colourful volume showing lots of artistic S-Bahn impressions.

Die Stadtbahn. Ein Viadukt mitten durch Berlin - GVE e.V.,1998, ISBN 3892180466

Andreas Butter, Hans-Joachim Kirsche, Erich Preuß: BERLIN OSTKREUZ. Die Drehscheibe des S- Bahn- Verkehrs. - 2000, 159 p., GeraNova, ISBN 393278524X

Carl W. Schmiedeke: Der Wagenpark der Berliner S-Bahn. - Lokrundschau, ISBN 3931647056

Nord-Süd-Bahn. Vom Geistertunnel zur City-S-Bahn. Die Flutung des Berliner S-Bahn-Tunnels in den letzten Kriegstagen. - 1999, 120p., GVE e. V., ISBN 3892180598

Berliner S-Bahn. 70 Jahre Hauptwerkstatt Schöneweide. - 1997, 96p., GVE e. V., ISBN 3892180512

VIDEOS

Ab durch die Mitte - Die Geschichte der Berliner S-Bahn. History of the S-Bahn (PAL colour system, 58 min)

Berliner U-Bahn Linie 1 - Führerstandsmitfahrt: Krumme Lanke - Warschauer Straße
A view from the driver's cabin on U1 (PAL colour system, 50 min)

Berliner S-Bahn (PAL colour system)

Die Berliner S-Bahn - Südring (PAL colour system)

Die Berliner S-Bahn - Von Lichtenberg nach Strausberg (PAL colour system)

Die Berliner S-Bahn - Von Wannsee nach Oranienburg (PAL colour system)