Local transport in Berlin

Rail transport in the Berlin region

S-Bahn and U-Bahn network

Local public transport in Berlin consists of a rapid transit system with S-Bahn and U-Bahn as well as RE and RB trains. There is also a large tram network, which is largely restricted to the eastern half of the city for political reasons . In addition to secondary supplementary and pre-accession functions for the rail network, city buses also play a primary role, especially in western parts of the city. Some transport tasks on the Spree and Havel are carried out by passenger ferries. The local public transport (ÖPNV) in Berlin is part of the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB), whose tariff regulations apply throughout the city and the Berlin agglomeration .

Today, local transport is essentially carried out by two transport companies on behalf of the State of Berlin: the state-owned Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) public law firm and S-Bahn Berlin GmbH , which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG . In addition, the DB Regio and the ODEG fulfill important tasks in regional transport with regional trains. The Senate Department for Urban Development is responsible for organizing public transport in Berlin, giving companies specifications for the range of products and services and assuming part of the operating costs .

history

1825-1945

Berlin's public transport began in 1825 as suburban transport with Simon Kremser's half-open horse - drawn buses . Soon after the first railway line was built in 1838, Israel Moses Henoch opened the first inner-city bus route from Alexanderplatz to Potsdam train station in 1840 . A hundred years later, these pioneering achievements were concealed because of the initially latent, then criminal state doctrine of anti-Semitism , and the story began with the operating license of the Concessioned Berliner Omnibus-Compagnie on October 30, 1846.

From 1865 horse-drawn trams added to the transport offer. The ride comfort on rails was much higher than that with iron tires on cobblestones. Since the completion of the Ringbahn built in 1867–1877 and the Stadtbahn built in 1875–1882, the railway has also made a significant contribution to Berlin's local transport. By and large, the tram was electrified from 1895 to 1902 and provided most of the passenger transport on the streets of the capital for decades. From the beginning, the first five lines of the elevated and underground railways went into operation electrically from 1902 to 1913 , others only between 1923 and 1931. There have been attempts since 1900 to electrify suburban lines of the Prussian state railway , but the electric S-Bahn - The network was not set up by the Reichsbahn until 1924–1929 .

After attempts to drive buses using steam engines and electric motors (energy storage in accumulators ), the first buses powered by internal combustion engines appeared in 1905 , later called "buses". In 1925 the first double-decker buses with a closed upper deck were delivered to the then Allgemeine Berliner Omnibus AG (ABOAG). In Spandau and Steglitz there were in the 1930s and O bus -lines.

1945–1990

After the Second World War , there was initially a common line network for rail and bus traffic for the city occupied by the four powers. In the early 1950s, tram and bus traffic began to be separated into an eastern (Soviet-occupied sector) and a western part (French, British and US-occupied sectors). The U- and S-Bahn operated continuously until the Wall was built in August 1961. Then there was one S-Bahn and two U-Bahn transit routes straight through the Mitte district , which belongs to East Berlin , and with the exception of the Friedrichstrasse train station, they passed through without stopping (→ Geisterbahnhof ).

Subsequently, local transport developed very differently in the two halves of the city:

West Berlin

In West Berlin, which was private transport promoted in local traffic only has bus and subway expanded. The O bus lines of the 1930s were, 1952 ( Spandau ) or 1965 ( Steglitz ) replaced by ordinary bus lines. The tram lines were shut down one after the other, the last on October 2, 1967. Since the S-Bahn was operated solely by the Deutsche Reichsbahn until January 8, 1984 and was boycotted by most West Berliners after the Wall was built (→ S-Bahn -Boykott ), the West Berlin policy in inner-city local transport relied on the subway as the only means of rail transport. New lines were therefore created, some of which ran parallel to S-Bahn lines.

High numbers of passengers on the bus lines, partly because of the substitute function for the S-Bahn, required frequent frequencies on important lines. So-called "e-buses" (emergency vehicles) therefore supplemented the regular timetable offer. Double-decker buses were a matter of course on the more important lines, where no low bridges prevented passage. As a replacement for the S-Bahn, the fastest bus routes ran on the AVUS (route 66 to 1984) and the Berlin city motorway (route 65).

In West Berlin, fares have been adjusted in line with general price increases. For the tariff development of the S-Bahn in the western part, see → History of the Berlin S-Bahn .

East Berlin

East Berlin rapid transit plan : U- and S-Bahn, 1984

In East Berlin , the S-Bahn and tram were the most important modes of transport. Since the subway could only be used on two routes and was separated from its central facilities in the west, there were considerable vehicle and initially maintenance problems here. An extension took place only in 1973 from Friedrichsfelde to the zoo and in 1989 further east to the new development areas to Hönow . In bus transport, the double-decker buses were pushed back at the end of the 1960s, as none have been manufactured in the Eastern Bloc since the 1950s. Ikarus buses dominated the streets of the 1970s and 1980s , mostly in the articulated version. There were also trolleybuses in East Berlin, from 1951 to 1973 there were some trolleybus lines .

In the eastern part of Berlin, too, several tram routes were shut down as part of the car-oriented traffic planning of the 1950s and 1960s, especially in the districts of Mitte and Treptow , located between the Spree and the western border . In 1967 the tram service at Alexanderplatz was stopped when the new building was completed. The radially tapering tram routes were combined in Mollstrasse and led past the square tangentially. In the 1970s and 1980s, routes were expanded in the outskirts. New tram lines played a significant role in the development of the new development areas in Marzahn , Hohenschönhausen and Hellersdorf . In addition, two new S-Bahn routes to Ahrensfelde and Wartenberg were built .

In East Berlin, as in the GDR as a whole, the tariffs were subsidized by the state. A ticket without transfer authorization cost 20 pfennigs for adults for the tram, bus or subway until the political change . From the late 1960s, tickets could be purchased in advance sales or in vehicles or at the subway entrances from payment boxes . Especially for tourists there were tourist cards / day tickets at a slightly higher price than the normal tariff (2 marks ). S-Bahn tickets at price level 1 (20 pfennigs for adults) could also be used for other means of transport in the city. There were tariffs depending on the distance from 20 pfennigs (price level 1) to 1.30 marks in price level 8. A trip from Alexanderplatz to Potsdam via the outer ring cost 70 pfennigs (price level 4).

History of the excursion routes by the bus

The first excursion lines were set up in 1907 by the Große Berliner Motoromnibus-Gesellschaft and a little later by ABOAG. They traveled from Berlin or its suburbs to the surrounding area at the time, u. a. Nollendorfplatz - Paulsborn or Wannsee station - Machnower Schleuse . From 1927, the ABOAG lines, known as triangular lines (because of the triangle shown in the line number plate ) or long-distance excursion lines, also reached destinations that were relatively far away for the time, such as Rheinsberg and Lehnin . This was continued after the merger to form the BVG . Destinations in the surrounding area continued to be served on routes such as Vinetastraße - Summt and Turmstraße - Teltow .

Due to the division of Germany , the BVG (West) could only serve excursion destinations within West Berlin. A line from the Theodor-Heuss-Platz underground station to Wannsee via the Havelchaussee ( butterfly line with a butterfly instead of a line number) was intended to restrict individual traffic , the Wannsee - Pfaueninsel line used the Havelchaussee through the forest, which is closed to car traffic. The buses ran at special rates. The VEB Kombinat Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB) drove to further destinations in the surrounding area. It was separated into excursion lines such as Vinetastraße - Zühlsdorf and longer long-distance excursion lines such as Antonplatz - Tiefensee ( Gamengrund ) or Berlin Frankfurter Allee station (then: S-Bahn station Stalinallee) - Bad Saarow . The longest line was Pankow , Kirche - Schildow - Hohen Neuendorf - Marwitz - Kremmen - Beetz-Sommerfeld .

The lines in West Berlin were later put into regular operation, the "triangle lines" in the eastern part were discontinued in 1992.

After 1990

Immediately after the political change in the GDR , work began to close the gaps that existed within the city. Above all, the S-Bahn was able to offer continuous traffic on the light rail as early as July 2, 1990 . In the following years, further gaps, especially with the Brandenburg area, were closed. The subway had closed all gaps in the existing network by 1995. In the same year the first tram line was built in the former western part of the city ( Wedding ), and in 1997 it was extended by a further section. However, the further expansion of the tram and subway network is making slow progress. Larger extensions and recommissioning of sections of the route are only in prospect for the S-Bahn.

Until the early 1990s, the fastest means of local public transport in Berlin was the S-Bahn. Today, fast RE and RB trains connect the towns, which are up to 40 kilometers apart, with one another via the renovated light rail and the new north-south connection. Double-deck buses were partly displaced on the western network in favor of single-decker and articulated buses suitable for the disabled . However, some routes that are particularly important for tourism will continue to be served by double-decker buses in the eastern districts.

In December 2004 a "metro network" was introduced, consisting of Metrobus and MetroTram . The aim was to achieve an offer quality that is comparable to that of a rapid transit railway. A characteristic of the metro lines is that due to the dense timetable (at least 10-minute intervals during the day) and 24-hour operation, it is no longer necessary to remember the departure time. All MetroTram lines are run on the existing tram network, which is why some MetroTram connections to two different branches / end stops fork. The route has been partially simplified. Today, the metro lines represent the backbone of the surface network away from underground and suburban trains and on tangential sections and are partially recorded on the rapid transit network maps of the BVG.

Local transport in the 21st century

Rail transport

The inner-city rail network is divided into long-distance , regional and local railways ( RE and RB trains), the rapid transit systems of the S-Bahn and U-Bahn and a tram network. In particular, the RE trains, which run at frequent intervals via the Berlin Stadtbahn, are used by passengers as well as a rapid transit train or fast S-Bahn. The S-Bahn was the fastest means of transport in the two halves of the city at that time until 1990; today, the RE trains within the city area sometimes offer considerably faster connections, also at the uniform network tariff.

Important RE / RB lines for the inner-city area are:

RE 1	Wannsee - Charlottenburg - Zoological Garden - Central Station - Friedrichstrasse - Alexanderplatz - Ostbahnhof
RE 2	Spandau - Zoological Garden - Central Station - Friedrichstrasse - Alexanderplatz - Ostbahnhof
RE 3 RE 5	Gesundbrunnen - Central Station - Potsdamer Platz - Südkreuz - Lichterfelde Ost
RE 4	Staaken - Spandau - Jungfernheide - Central Station - Potsdamer Platz - Südkreuz - Lichterfelde Ost
RE 7	Wannsee - Charlottenburg - Zoological Garden - Central Station - Friedrichstrasse - Alexanderplatz - Ostbahnhof - Karlshorst - Schönefeld Airport
RB 10	Albrechtshof - Spandau - Jungfernheide - Central Station - Potsdamer Platz - Südkreuz
RB 14	Albrechtshof - Spandau - Zoological Garden - Central Station - Ostbahnhof - Karlshorst - Schönefeld Airport
RE 9 (under construction)	Berlin Central Station - Potsdamer Platz - Berlin Brandenburg Airport
RB 21 RB 22	Wannsee - Charlottenburg - Zoological Garden - Central Station - Friedrichstrasse

Because of the politically very different development of traffic in the western and eastern districts from the 1950s onwards, the tram mainly served the eastern districts, i.e. the former East Berlin. The tram network is currently divided into Metrotram - ("M" in front of the line number) and normal tram lines. The latter do not run continuously day and night and usually have limited frequency sequences.

The underground and S-Bahn lines run continuously on Friday / Saturday, Saturday / Sunday and before public holidays. During the other nights (in addition to the other night bus lines), the night bus lines N1 to N3 and N5 to N9 (corresponding to the subway lines U1 – U3 and U5 – U9) are used instead of the underground, on partially different routes.

Bus transport

The city bus network is operated by the BVG. It consists of Metrobus - ("M" in front of the line number), Expressbus - ("X" in front of the line number) and normal city bus lines. A special night bus network complements the “metro network” (MetroTram and MetroBus), which is also served at night, and replaces the S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines on weekdays.

Bicycle traffic

The first bicycle street in Berlin was set up on Alberichtstrasse in Biesdorf in 2000 .

The cyclists took in Berlin 2007 to 2016 by about 36 percent. Around 500,000 people use bicycles every day. After 17 permanently installed counting stations, the Oberbaumbrücke is the most frequented place for bicycle traffic with a counter.

Up to now, 15 million euros a year were available for cycling in the Berlin budget. In 2016, the Senate stated that it wanted to increase these funds to 40 million. In the 2010s, over 7,000 road accidents involving cyclists were registered each year.

The citizens' initiative referendum Bicycle " reached in 2016 when the Senate a referendum and for a better cycling infrastructure. In 2018, the House of Representatives passed the Mobility Act , which largely adopted the demands of the citizens' initiative. According to this, rapid cycle connections with a total length of at least one hundred kilometers and safe bicycle traffic facilities on all main roads are to be built in Berlin . The first rapid cycle connection to be implemented is to be the Teltow Canal Route . The first bicycle traffic facilities protected by bollards were completed in 2018 on Holzmarktstrasse in Mitte and Dahlemer Weg in Steglitz-Zehlendorf . Construction work on the third protected cycle lane on the Hasenheide began in 2019. The start of construction for a protected cycle lane in Karl-Marx-Straße was announced for April 2019 . The red color that had been common up until then for cycle paths is only used in dangerous areas.

As part of a nationwide pilot test by the Federal Ministry of Transport , the rule to turn right for cyclists was introduced in April 2019 in nine cities, including five intersections in Berlin . The corresponding traffic sign was installed in the following locations:

Prellerweg - Thorwaldsenstraße / Bergstraße for the Bergstraße access (Tempelhof-Schöneberg)
Ebertstraße / Hannah-Arendt-Straße - Lennéstraße for the access Hannah-Arendt-Straße (center) // Torstraße / Alte Schönhauser Straße - Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße - Schönhauser Allee for the accesses (center)
Torstrasse in front of Schönhauser Allee
Torstrasse in front of Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse
Frankfurter Allee / Gürtelstraße - Möllendorffstraße for the access to Gürtelstraße (Lichtenberg)

Protected cycle lanes on the Hasenheide are marked green and secured by bollards

In order to visually delimit protective and cycling lanes more clearly from the rest of the lane and to reduce the misuse of the area as a parking lot, bike paths in Berlin have been marked with " traffic green" (RAL 6024) since 2018 and at more dangerous places such as intersections, junctions and busy property entrances with " Traffic red ”(RAL 3020) and marked with stylized white bicycle symbols. The state-owned company Infravelo , which is responsible for coordinating bicycle traffic measures in the city, names another advantage of the color marking , the previous removal of defects and renewal of the surface before the color is applied. Previously, only red paint was used for the color marking at points of conflict on bike paths. Either cold plastic or epoxy resin are used for the new markings, depending on the intensity of the traffic load from cars or trucks . The Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection , together with the districts and after an evaluation by Infravelo, selected a total of 20 streets for the initially flat colored marking. The criteria for the selection were a minimum width of 1.50 meters, the condition of the road, the existing cycle traffic routing such as safety divider strips , the existing drainage facilities, the flat surface and the gradient. In 2018, bike paths totaling around 7600 meters were marked. More colored markings have been announced for 2019. Before all protective and cycling lanes are to be color-coded across the board, a scientific study of the materials used for grip and durability is planned over a period of five years. The investigation should include a possible change in user behavior, the development of the accident situation and a survey of users.

In 2019 there were at least 23 bicycle streets in Berlin. Police checks to ensure compliance with the traffic regulations applicable there were carried out 45 times in 2016, 46 times in 2017, 58 times in 2018 and 32 times in the first half of 2019. During the controls from 2018 to August 2019, a total of 30 violations of illegal stopping and parking were found.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Berlin , several pop-up cycle paths were set up in 2020 .

Ship and ferry traffic

BVG ferry F10 in Alt-Kladow

The BVG operates six ferry lines , some of which are served by Stern and Kreisschiffahrt ships . Particularly noteworthy here are the F10 from Wannsee station to Alt-Kladow and the only rowing ferry in regular service across the Müggelspree .

literature

Gerhard Greß: Berlin Transport Hub . EK-Verlag, Freiburg 2003, ISBN 978-3-88255-284-3 .

Web links

Commons : Verkehr in Berlin - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ http://www.berliner-untergrundbahn.de - Chronicle: “Since 1931 the new subway has been completely idle.” ( Memento of the original from October 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2
^ Peter Neumann: New bicycle street in Berlin: Neukölln gets a protected area for cyclists. January 7, 2016, accessed on March 17, 2019 (German).
↑ 36 percent more cyclists within ten years. Retrieved February 5, 2019 .
↑ Jens Anker: Up to 500,000 Berliners get on their bikes every day. June 18, 2016, accessed on February 5, 2019 (German).
↑ Jens Anker: 40 million euros per year for Berlin's cycle paths. June 28, 2016, accessed on February 5, 2019 (German).
↑ Traffic accident statistics. June 4, 2018, accessed February 5, 2019 .
↑ Start construction work for protected cycle lanes on the Hasenheide. February 5, 2019, accessed February 5, 2019 .
↑ Bike lanes in Berlin should be green. Retrieved February 5, 2019 .
↑ Green arrow for cyclists: Berlin starts pilot project. April 5, 2019, accessed April 5, 2019 .
↑ Green coatings for better visibility of bike paths in Berlin. Retrieved May 7, 2019 .
↑ Bike lanes in Berlin should be green. Retrieved April 25, 2019 .
↑ http://pardok.parlament-berlin.de/starweb/adis/citat/VT/18/SchrAnfr/S18-20555.pdf
↑ Freedom of information requests - FragDenStaat. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .

[1] ttp://www.berliner-untergrundbahn.de - Chronicle: “Since 1931 the new subway has been completely idle.” ( Memento of the original from October 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2

[2] Peter Neumann: New bicycle street in Berlin: Neukölln gets a protected area for cyclists. January 7, 2016, accessed on March 17, 2019 (German).

[3] 36 percent more cyclists within ten years. Retrieved February 5, 2019 .

[4] Jens Anker: Up to 500,000 Berliners get on their bikes every day. June 18, 2016, accessed on February 5, 2019 (German).

[5] Jens Anker: 40 million euros per year for Berlin's cycle paths. June 28, 2016, accessed on February 5, 2019 (German).

[6] Traffic accident statistics. June 4, 2018, accessed February 5, 2019 .

[7] Start construction work for protected cycle lanes on the Hasenheide. February 5, 2019, accessed February 5, 2019 .

[8] Bike lanes in Berlin should be green. Retrieved February 5, 2019 .

[9] Green arrow for cyclists: Berlin starts pilot project. April 5, 2019, accessed April 5, 2019 .

[10] Green coatings for better visibility of bike paths in Berlin. Retrieved May 7, 2019 .

[11] Bike lanes in Berlin should be green. Retrieved April 25, 2019 .

[12] ttp://pardok.parlament-berlin.de/starweb/adis/citat/VT/18/SchrAnfr/S18-20555.pdf

[13] Freedom of information requests - FragDenStaat. Retrieved November 28, 2019 .