Subway line 9 (Berlin)
Line Berlin U-Bahn large profile |
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| Route length: | 12.5 km | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gauge : | 1435 mm ( standard gauge ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power system : | side busbar, painted below, 750 V = |
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The U9 line of the Berlin subway has 18 stations and is 12.5 kilometers long. The large profile line runs in a north-south direction and connects Gesundbrunnen and Wedding with the western center ( Bahnhof Zoo , Kurfürstendamm ) and Steglitz . The average journey time is 23 minutes.
Line identification color and designations
The line, which was still named with the letter “G” at the time, was given the color orange when it was built. When the line designations were changed to digits in 1966, it was given the number “9”. In 1984 there was finally the “U” in front of it to better distinguish between U-Bahn and S-Bahn .
course
The route of the U9 runs underground along its entire length. It begins in the north on Osloer Strasse in the Gesundbrunnen district and initially runs under Schulplatz or, from Leopoldplatz, under Luxemburger Strasse. This is followed by the line of Föhrer Straße and crosses under the Ringbahn at the Putlitzbrücke . The subway now runs under Wilhelmshavener Strasse and, a few meters behind the Turmstrasse train station, first crosses the Spree and, further south after Hansaplatz, the Tiergarten . The line then crosses the tram and reaches the Zoologischer Garten station . After the crossing of Kurfürstendamm , the U9 goes straight under Joachimsthaler Straße and Bundesallee . At Walther-Schreiber-Platz , Rheinstrasse and Bundesallee merge to form Schloßstrasse . This is followed by the U9 to its current southern terminus at Rathaus Steglitz .
history
First construction phase
After the division of Berlin began in 1948, West Berliners preferred buses and trams that circumnavigated the eastern sector . In addition, the densely populated districts of Steglitz , Wedding and Reinickendorf needed a rapid-transit railway connection to the then newly developed western center of Berlin south of the zoological garden . However, these traffic requirements could not be met with route extensions, so that a new building was necessary. Therefore, line G (today: U9) was designed according to the letter concept that was in effect at the time. It was to be led from Osloer Strasse via Weddinger Zentrum on Leopoldplatz , Moabiter Zentrum on Turmstrasse , the western center with the zoo and Kurfürstendamm , Bundesallee and Schloßstrasse to Steglitz Town Hall . This line was - after lines C ( U6 ) and D ( U8 ) - the third north-south line.
The first ramming for the construction of the new line took place on June 23, 1955 in the zoo . The route had a few problems. You had to cross under four underground lines (today's lines U1 , U2 , U3 and U6), two S-Bahn lines ( ring and city rail ) and three watercourses ( Spree , Landwehr Canal and Berlin-Spandauer Schifffahrtskanal ).
In 1960, the trains on the existing line C ran through the future terminus at Leopoldplatz for six months without stopping. During this time, the old central platform was demolished and two side platforms were built for line C, and a new, wide central platform was built directly underneath for the new line G. In addition, an operating track to the main and operating workshop Seestrasse was built at the same time . South of Leopoldplatz, the route follows Luxemburger and Putlitzstrasse. Here the Berlin-Spandau shipping canal , the Ringbahn and a massive block of houses had to be crossed.
A road tunnel was prepared above the Amrumer Straße underground station by reinforcing the supports and the ceiling at the southern end of the platform. Amrumer Straße / Torfstraße should cross under Luxemburger Straße / Föhrer Straße. This was part of the expansion of the "Inner City Ring". That is why the platform of the underground station is around ten meters below street level.
The next big challenge was to cross under the western center of Berlin around the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church , the Kurfürstendamm and the Bahnhof Zoo . Here, two existing small profile lines had to be crossed in quick succession. The underpassing of the heavily used underground line towards Ruhleben had to be carried out in such a way that its operation was not interrupted for any longer. At Kurfürstendamm, where today's U1 was already up to the Uhlandstraße terminus , the tunnel construction to pass under was easier. For this purpose, this small-profile line was temporarily shut down and a new tower station was built at the intersection of Joachimsthaler Strasse and Kurfürstendamm.
This was repeated on Spichernstrasse, the planned new end point of line G. Since there was no train station at the intersection with today's U3 on Spichernstrasse / Bundesallee, a new one was built. The nearby Nürnberger Platz station on this small-profile line was then closed. However, the distance of 1106 meters between the Wittenbergplatz and Spichernstrasse stations was not acceptable, so a new Augsburger Strasse station was added. In the case of the new small-profile stations, the aim was to keep the interference with the existing substance as low as possible, which is why these stations were equipped with side platforms. They were opened on June 2, 1959 (Spichernstrasse) and May 8, 1961 (Augsburger Strasse).
All newly built stations were based on the model of the previous architect Alfred Grenander . They followed the modern style implemented by the then underground architect Bruno Grimmek .
The following stations were built for the new G line:
- Leopoldplatz (today: U6)
- Amrumer Strasse
- Putlitzstraße (today: Westhafen ; S-Bahn / Ringbahn )
- Birkenstrasse
- Turmstrasse
- Hansaplatz
- Zoological Garden (today: U2; S-Bahn / Stadtbahn )
- Kurfürstendamm (today: U1)
- Spichernstrasse (today: U3)
also these stations on the existing small-profile lines:
- Kurfürstendamm
- Augsburger Strasse
- Spichernstrasse
Line G was scheduled to go into operation on September 2, 1961. But on August 13, the GDR government closed the sector border and built the Berlin Wall . It was already clear how necessary this new underground line was, so that the opening date was brought forward to August 28, 1961.
Second stage
On January 29, 1971, one of the longest subway extensions to date was completed. The line 7 takes the lead from the Möckernbrücke to Fehrbellinerplatz , the line 9 from the Spichernstraße to Walther-Schreiber-Platz . A nine-kilometer route with eleven new stations went into operation that day. The groundbreaking ceremony for both new lines was on July 1, 1962. This gave the Steglitzers and Neukölln residents a fast connection to the western center and no longer had to use the buses.
The route of the U9 follows Bundesallee from the previous terminus at Spichernstrasse and crosses the U7 line at Berliner Strasse station . The lower platform is a central platform , but the U9 line has side platforms here . However, this is not in the usual sense: At a side platform, you usually get off on the right-hand side - seen in the direction of travel - but on the left-hand side at Berliner Straße station. The platforms could therefore also be seen as center platforms set apart. Only a corridor at the northern end of both platforms connects them with one another. This construction measure was necessary because a road tunnel was also built between the two side platforms along with the subway.
Similar to the Berliner Strasse station, the newly built Bundesplatz station also encloses a road tunnel, which is why no central platform could be built here either. The tracks separate shortly before the station to bypass the tunnel and were given two side platforms. At this point there is a possibility to change to the S-Bahn , which can be used again until the S-Bahn workers' strike in 1980 and since the end of 1993.
The U9 line was provisionally closed at Walther-Schreiber-Platz . It was not until 1974 that construction began here further south.
All of the stations that were built were designed by Rainer G. Rümmler . Instead of ceramic tiles, however, he used large-format, colorful Eternit panels , for example at the Walther-Schreiber-Platz train station. The color design should also always awaken new associations . From the station Berliner Straße the colors white and red to the intended Berlin Landeswappen remember at the station Eisenacher Strasse U7 the green areas at the Thuringian Forest in Eisenach . This is one of the reasons why the architect is still very controversial today.
Final expansion of the line
While the U9 line ran to Walther-Schreiber-Platz from 1971, construction work to the south was in full swing. At the intersection of Bundesallee / Rheinstrasse , the two streets join to form Schloßstrasse . According to the 200 km plan, the U10 should meet the U9 here. Due to the limited space in Schloßstraße, the two directional platforms were placed on top of each other on different levels.
Between Walther-Schreiber-Platz and the Schloßstraße station, the U9 changes to the tunnel route of the U10. In the Schloßstraße station itself, the tracks to the north are on the upper level, in the direction of Rathaus Steglitz on the lower level, but those used are on the eastern edge of the platform, on which the U10 should actually run. The western edge of the platform is separated from passenger traffic by a lattice fence. In the track trough, unused tracks are laid without a power rail . The sign “No train traffic” hangs there to this day. As a result of this enormous advance construction work , the costs for one meter of the underground line rose exorbitantly to 78,000 marks (adjusted for purchasing power in today's currency: around 104,000 euros).
After the Schloßstraße station , the U9 ends at Rathaus Steglitz station . The lines of U9 and U10 separate again here. Both lines were to stop at separate stations in Steglitz, which, viewed from Schloßstraße, would form an opening "V". The part of the station (Rzo) actually intended for the U9 is equipped with side platforms, is on the minus 1 level, has only been completed to this day in the shell and is cordoned off and used as a storage room for disaster control . By temporarily open door on the walkway to the S-Bahn station could cots see. Instead, the station section (Rzu) planned for the U10 is operated on the minus 2 level for the U9 .
The background to this operational management is the intersection of the planned U9 route and the Wannseebahn immediately south of the station. In the 1970s it was not possible to come to an agreement in the negotiations on the right to access the railway line with the Deutsche Reichsbahn , which operated the Steglitz station here. So the sweeping system , which the BVG considered necessary behind the train station, could not be created. The U10, which ran further west, did not have this problem, which is why the U9 was led over the U10 route and provided with a sweeping system.
When the operating rights for the S-Bahn in West Berlin were transferred to the BVG in January 1984, the opportunity arose to undercut the S-Bahn without having to risk renewed problematic negotiations with the Reichsbahn. Since this condition was only guaranteed for ten years from the perspective of 1984 (that is how long the contract period was), the functionless tunnel under the railway embankment was extended in the mid-1980s. A sweeping system or at least a part of it was not built into this section either - that should only be done in another tunnel section.
These circumstances, which seem strange from today's perspective, have meant that the transfer routes between the U9 and the S1 S-Bahn line are relatively long. From the subway platform you can still change to numerous bus lines that stop in a specially built bus station on the ground floor of the Steglitz roundabout .
As an exception, the Schloßstraße station was not designed by Rainer G. Rümmler , but by the architects Schüler & Witte. The station walls were designed sparingly with red, yellow and blue wall elements. However, exposed concrete dominates . The Rathaus Steglitz station, on the other hand, was given a typical design by Rainer Rümmler. Huge white and red wall elements were attached, and these were also provided with large, silvery letters that form the station name. The new line is 1.6 kilometers long and was opened on September 30, 1974.
An extension of the U9 in the direction of Lankwitz is still being considered today . The " 200-kilometer plan " provided for an extension to the Waldsassener Strasse area including the subsequent depot. The planned route will continue to be kept free.
At the northern end of the U9 line, construction continued. An extension of the route to Pankow was planned. Since this could not be realized due to the political situation, the U9 was only allowed to be built up to the intersection of Osloer Straße / Schwedenstraße . Two new stations were planned: Nauener Platz and the new tower station Osloer Strasse . Until then, the U8 should also be extended. Here the situation arose that this tower station could be built without taking existing underground traffic into account. A spacious, bright distribution floor was also built, in which several shops and snack bars are located.
The Nauener Platz station was designed with large wall elements and silver letters similar to the Rathaus Steglitz station. The colors red, white and blue dominate here. This should arouse an association with the balance of power, because the station is located in what was then the French sector. The route from Leopoldplatz to Osloer Strasse was 1.5 kilometers long and opened on April 30, 1976. The extension to Pankow has not yet started.
Timetable
The U9 belonged to the first U-Bahn line, along with the then U1, on which continuous night traffic had been operated since April 6, 1990 on Friday / Saturday and Saturday / Sunday nights . In contrast to other Berlin subway lines, there are no amplifiers on this line that use the existing sweeping systems at the intermediate stations, every train goes to the terminus. The turnaround time of the trains is 60 minutes.
| line | Mon-Fri (HVZ) (7 am-10pm and 1 pm-7pm) |
Mon-Fri (NVZ) (6 a.m. to 7 a.m .; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.) |
Sat (10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.) |
Sunday and public holidays (11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) |
Off-peak time (Mon-Fri 4: 30-6 pm; Mon-Sat at 20:30, and so 17: 30-1 pm / Sa 5: 30-10 pm and Sun 7-11: 30) |
Night Fri / Sat and Sat / Sun as well as on the nights before public holidays (Fri / Sat 1–5:30 am and Sat / Sun 1–7 am) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rathaus Steglitz ↔ Osloer Straße |
4 min summer vacation 5 min |
5 min | 5 min | 5 min | 10 min | 15 minutes |
| On the nights of Fri / Sat and Sat / Sun, the U9 trains run between Osloer Straße and Rathaus Steglitz from 0:30 a.m. to around 4:30 a.m. every 15 minutes. In the nights Sun / Mon to Thu / Fri, the N9 night bus takes over the tasks of the subway, serving the route Osloer Straße ↔ Rathaus Steglitz with a few additional stops. | ||||||
A reduction of the technically possible train sequence from 90 seconds to 70 seconds should enable the installation of the linear train control LZB 501 from 1965 in test operation and from 1976 in passenger operation; In 1993, however, the LZB was switched off again in passenger service and was used for test drives until 1998.
Route planning
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Southern expansion planning
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| → See: Senate Department for Transport and Enterprises | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Since the urban development plan for transport was updated in 2003, the plans for the expansion of the U9 are no longer part of the long-term public transport development plan of the state of Berlin.
In the south, an extension to Lankwitz and even further to Lankwitz Church is planned today . A change to the extended U9 line should be made possible at the S-Bahn station. The “ 200-kilometer plan ” envisaged a continuation via Gallwitzallee, Tautenburger Strasse and Maximilian-Kaller-Strasse to Marienfelde , Waldsassener Strasse. Advance payments are available in such a way that green areas are kept free for subway entrances. An operating area for parking and servicing the trains was planned south of the Lichterfelder Ring directly on the city limits. The area is still kept free today. However, due to the tight budget situation in the state of Berlin, the chances of an extension being realized are very slim.
In the north of the U9, the planning of an extension via the Wollankstrasse S-Bahn station to Pankow Kirche in the Breiten Strasse had long faded into the background after the construction of the tram along Seestrasse . At the end point, a transfer station should have been built with the U2 , which is also to be extended to this point. An alternative is probably the connection Osloer Straße to the end of the U2. In the summer of 2015, an informal conversation was held between the BVG and the responsible senate administration, which at least gave a boost to media reports about the extension of three kilometers to the Pankow train station. The advantage would be the shortening of the travel time from Pankow to the zoological garden and the connection with the connections in Pankow. The drawback is the necessary routing due to the dense development and the crossing under the S-Bahn line (S 1) so that a three-digit million amount is expected. The press spokeswoman for the Senate Department for Urban Development, Petra Roland, called concrete plans “pure speculation”.
Opening dates
- August 28, 1961: Leopoldplatz - Spichernstrasse
- January 29, 1971: Spichernstrasse - Walther-Schreiber-Platz
- September 30, 1974: Walther-Schreiber-Platz - Steglitz Town Hall
- April 30, 1976: Leopoldplatz - Osloer Strasse
literature
- Senator for Construction and Housing (Ed.): The new underground line G from Wilmersdorf to Wedding. Berlin 1961.
- Senator for Construction and Housing (Ed.): The extension of the underground lines 7 and 9 - a new railway intersection. Berlin 1971.
- Heinz Bülow: Subway line 9 in Steglitz ready for operation. Reprint from the Berlin construction industry , issue 18/74.
- Siegfried Gerlach: Underground line 9 from Rathaus Steglitz to Osloer Straße: the northern extension. Reprint from the Berlin construction industry , issue 8/76.
- Alexander Seefeldt: Berlin subway lines: U9 / north-south through the city-west. Robert Schwandl Verlag, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-936573-30-5 .
- Reinhard Arf: Initially between Wedding and Wilmersdorf / 50 years of underground line G (U9) Spichernstrasse – Leopoldplatz. In: Verkehrsgeschichtliche Blätter , Volume 38, Issue 4 (July / August 2011), pp. 108–109.
Web links
- Very detailed history of the Berlin subway
- Interactive website with photos of the benches along the U9 route
- Line route & timetable of the U9 (PDF; 175 KB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Opening letter from the Senator for Building and Housing (PDF; 2.9 MB)
- ^ Excerpt from a planning map from Senator for Building and Housing II , March 1967
- ^ Ulrich Lemke, Uwe Poppel: Berlin U-Bahn . 4th edition. alba Verlag, Düsseldorf 1996, p. 144.
- ^ Alexander Seefeldt: Berlin subway lines / U9 / north-south through the city-west . Robert Schwandl Verlag, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-936573-30-5 , pp. 56-67.
- ↑ Senate Department for Transport and Enterprises, as of 1995
- ↑ Urban development plan for traffic at the Senate Department for Urban Development
- ↑ Pure speculation - there are no concrete plans for a second underground line to Pankow . In: Berliner Woche , August 12, 2015
