More switches: Full closures at Berlin Central Station
Traffic is jammed in the underground station at Berlin Central Station. New points and signals should provide more flexibility.
An ICE in the tunnel leading to the underground station at Berlin Central Station.
(Image: DB AG / Volker Emersleben)
Deutsche Bahn is expanding the underground section of Berlin's main station with additional points and signals. Travelers can therefore expect disruptions from 17 February. On two weekends – in March and April – there will even be full closures of the underground station. DB will then divert trains to other stations.
With the expansion measure, the railroad wants to allow trains to reach the platforms faster and more flexibly in the future. Thanks to additional connections, rail traffic has increased continuously since the opening of Berlin Central Station in 2006. The hourly fast connection between Berlin and Munich is cited as an example. As a result of the increased train traffic, there are always waiting times because tracks in the underground station are occupied. New transfer facilities are intended to remedy this.
Restrictions from February to April
Starting on February 17, work will be carried out alternately on four of the eight tracks until April 22. On two weekends, the underground station will have to be taken out of service completely. This will take place from March 21 to 24 and during the Easter holidays from April 18 to 22. The S-Bahn and the above-ground part of the main station are not affected by the work, the railroad emphasizes. Consequently, the effects will primarily be felt on the north-south connections.
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Long-distance services will only be affected on the weekends when the work is closed. According to the plans, trains will not stop at the main station and SĂĽdkreuz station, but will be diverted to other long-distance stations in Berlin. The work will have a noticeable impact on regional services that stop at the underground station. Deutsche Bahn describes the exact changes in a press release.
The 3.4-kilometer tunnel for the north-south mainline was put into operation in 2006 and is used by long-distance and regional trains. According to the railroad, the trains are supplied with power via an overhead conductor rail.
This year, Deutsche Bahn is also planning the general refurbishment of the Hamburg-Berlin line. This will require extensive replacement services. However, this is not scheduled to begin until August 2025.
(mki)
