Everybody arriving in Berlin as of tomorrow, July 20, 2009 should be aware there is a HUGE screw-up right now with the Berlin S-Bahn. The Deutsche Bahn has been forced to recall one entire type of train-car due to cracks in the wheels, and all cars will have to have their undercarriages restored. This may take weeks or months.
While this is going on, as of tomorrow many MAJOR S-Bahn lines are being shut down. Others will run on a reduced schedule.
In particular, there will be no S-Bahn service from Schönefeld Airport. The regional Airport Express train service will be running, though, and the Berlin Transit Authority, the BVG, will provide alternative bus and U-Bahn connections where possible.
The major S-Bahn line that tourists rely on, the main line through the center of town, will also not be running. This means no S-Bahn trains through Zoo, Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse, Hackesche Markt, Alexanderplatz and Ostbahnhof. In major stations that have platforms for regional or national trains, you can take those trains on your normal BVG ticket. But expect packed trains and chaotic conditions.
Bicycles are not being allowed on the S-Bahn for the duration.
The BVG is doing what it can to alleviate this situation, with extra bus lines and so on, but its resources are also limited.
(Could a moderator make this into a sticky, please?)
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Here are some details, published in today%26#39;s papers:
The entire east-west S-Bahn line has been curtailed from Zoo to Ostbahnhof. NO S-Bahns will be running on that track.
The BVG is running emergency buses between Zoo and Hauptbahnhof and from Alexanderplatz to Flughafen Schönefeld, via Treptower Park and Baumschulenweg.
The RE1 regional train IS running, but it doesn%26#39;t stop at every station. You can catch it at Zoo, Hauptbahnhof, Friedrichstrasse and Alexanderplatz from the TRAIN, not the S-Bahn tracks. Your BVG ticket is valid on this train, but expect full trains and chaotic conditions.
The S-Bahn from Zoo to Olympia Stadion IS running.
The S-Bahn line from Westkreuz to Postdam is NOT running. The BVG is running a bus from Messe Süd to Wannsee. The RE1 (which stops at major stations in the city centre) also goes to Postdam.
The North-South S-Bahn line S1 from Oranienburg to Potsdam IS running, as is the S2/S25 from Bernau to Teltow-Stadt and/or to Blankenfelde.
The S-Bahn-Ring IS running, at 10 minute intervals, both clockwise and counter clockwise.
The BVG is running an express bus from Flughafen Schönefeld (Airport) to Südkreuz, which connects up with the Ring and the S2/S25, as well as the regional RE4 and RE5, which go to Hauptbahnhof. The BVG is also running a bus from Schönefeld to Grünau, which connects with the S46, and - eventually - the Ring. With a little bit of map study, you should be able to figure out the best way of getting to your hotel.
Transportation from Tegel Airport is unaffected, at least insofar as getting to Zoo, or to one of the S-Bahn stations on the Ring via the TXL bus.
U-Bahns, trams, and buses are NOT affected.
Rental cars are pretty well booked out.
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Can anyone provide an update on when this will be resolved ?
Arriving in Berlin on Saturday morning at Schönefeld Airport.
Having never been to Berlin before I was going to rely on the S-Bahn
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%26gt;Can anyone provide an update on when this will be resolved ?
Supposedly in 4-6 weeks.
Half the train fleet on BVG has been pulled out for inspection and repair. It is going to take quite a while.
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Just for the record, altamiro, this mess is NOT the fault of the BVG (which runs the U-Bahns, buses and trams) but rather the Deutsche Bahn, Germany%26#39;s national rail carrier, which runs the Berliner S-Bahn.
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Arrive in Berlin on Wednesday for 4 days.
Is it just the S-BAHN or does it affect the U-BAHN as well ???
Thanks
Iain
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Sorry , just re-read the OP%26#39;s follow up. Question answered !
Iain
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Thank you very much for the detailed information, Bill2p.
Please do keep giving us updates, if anything changes.
We arrive on 14th August for the week. My particular concern is getting to Potsdam from Zoo station?
I understand I can take the local train to get to Hauptbahnhof %26amp; Museum Island from Zoo station, which I assume is every 10 minutes or so?
Thank you again for your help.
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They%26#39;re expecting this to go on into December, folks, so batten down the hatches.
worldtraveller99, I%26#39;m sorry, I%26#39;m not going to get into individually advising people what alternative transportation to take. I%26#39;ve got neither the time nor the patience. You%26#39;ll have to seek such advice on the ground once you get here, or go to the BVG%26#39;s very good website http://www.fahrinfo-berlin.de and look it up yourself (just disregard all the cross-town S-Bahn recommendations).
But, just this once, I can tell you that you%26#39;ll have to take an RE train to Friedrichstrasse and walk to the Museum Island (10 minutes). The trains run only every 30 minutes.
Or you could take Bus #100, which will take you directly there. (Get off at Staatsoper or Lustgarten.)
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Does this just effect Berlin, no other cities in Germany?
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Only Berlin. The S-Bahn Berlin differs from the other S-Bahn systems in Germany. And the effected class 481 EMUs are only used in Berlin.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/DBAG-Baureihe_481
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