BERLIN U-BAHN

The 'Berlin U-Bahn' (Untergrundbahn, ) is a major part of the public transport system of the German capital, Berlin. Opened in 1902, the U-Bahn serves 170 stations spread across nine lines, with a total track length of ,^[1] about 90% of which is underground. Trains run every two to five minutes during peak hours, and every seven to twelve minutes for the rest of the day; they travel 132 million kilometers (83 million mi), carrying 400 million passengers, over the year. The entire system is maintained and operated by the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, commonly known as the BVG.
Designed to alleviate traffic flowing into and out of central Berlin, the U-Bahn rapidly expanded until the city was divided into East and West Berlin at the end of World War II. Although the system initially remained open to residents of both sides, the construction of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent restrictions imposed by the East German government limited travel across the border: East Germans were prevented from riding on the U-Bahn into West Berlin; while West Germans were permitted to use certain lines that ran through East German territory, but not to disembark. The system was reopened completely following the fall of the Berlin Wall, and German reunification.
As of 2007, the Berlin U-Bahn is the most extensive underground network in Germany. True to its original goal, it has been calculated that, in 2006, use of the U-Bahn amounted to the equivalent of 122.2 million kilometers (76 million mi) of car journeys.^[2] Now thoroughly modernised after years of neglect during the Cold War, it serves as the main transportation method of the capital.

Contents

History

Lines

Line numbering

Stations

Unused stations and tunnels

Telecommunications network coverage

Shops and other services

Fares and tickets

Fare zones

Short-term tickets

Long-term tickets

Tourist passes

Rolling stock

Depots

Accidents

Future development

Films, music and merchandising

See also

Footnotes

References

External links

History

Map of the development of the U-Bahn since 1902

Entrance to Elsterwerdaer Platz on the

At the end of the 19th century, city planners in Berlin were looking for solutions to the increasing traffic problems in Berlin and its suburbs. After the rejection of several separate proposals, the first U-Bahn line was inaugurated on 15 February 1902. Known in German as the "Stammstrecke", it ran between Warschauer Straße and Zoologischer Garten, and had a short spur to Potsdamer Platz. It ran mostly on elevated rail tracks. The system was immediately popular, and many more stations were subsequently built, especially in the then-independent cities of Wilmersdorf, Schöneberg, and Charlottenburg, which began planning their own lines. These lines would later lead from Dahlem in the south to Spittelmarkt in the north, and west to the area where the ''Olympiastadion'' is now located.
Many communities bordering Berlin were incorporated into a larger "Groß-Berlin" (Greater Berlin) at the end of World War I. Plans were put forward in 1920 for a city-owned U-Bahn line, known as the "Nord-Süd-Bahn" (North-South line) between Wedding and the Tempelhof-Neukölln area. The AEG Corporation also started to build its own U-Bahn line, called the "GN-Bahn", between Gesundbrunnen, Alexanderplatz, and Leinestraße. Construction on these lines progressed slowly due to the Great Depression and hyperinflation. In the 1930s, another line was added between Alexanderplatz and Friedrichsfelde. These new lines were built to use wider trains than their predecessors, and are known in German as "Großprofil" (wide profile) lines (note that only the loading gauge, at 2.8 m, is wider than the 2.2-m "Kleinprofil" (narrow profile) trains; both run on standard-gauge 1435-mm track).

Soviet soldiers storming the Berlin U-Bahn

World War II damaged or destroyed large parts of the U-Bahn system. Further damage was caused by flooding as a result of tunnel boring under the Spree for a new S-Bahn tunnel. Nevertheless, the majority of the damage was quickly repaired. A new crisis for the system was prompted by the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, which physically separated West Berlin from East Berlin. The modern-day U-Bahn Line 2 was divided into both Eastern and Western sections, while the north-south lines ran through the so-called Geisterbahnhöfe (ghost stations) in East Berlin without stopping. U-Bahn line 1 was shortened by one stop, its only one in the Eastern sector (Warschauer Brücke, today renamed Warschauer Straße).
The U-Bahn network was greatly expanded in West Berlin during the Cold War. U-Bahn Line 9, opened in 1961, was created as a north-south connector which ran without crossing into East Berlin. The U7 connected Rudow in the south-east to Spandau in the west. The U6 (formerly the Nord-Süd-Bahn) and the U8 (formerly the GN-Bahn) were expanded as well. Only one East Berlin line, the Großprofillinie 5 or the U5, was expanded.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the separated U-Bahn network was reunited, and the Geisterbahnhöfe reopened. Since then, some lines have been expanded, mainly to create connections to the S-Bahn. There are plans to expand the U5, which will run between Brandenburger Tor and Berlin Hauptbahnhof. The new expansion will be called the U55 when it opens.

Lines

Current system map of the U-Bahn

The U-Bahn consists of nine lines:

Line	Route	Opened	Length	Stations
U1	Uhlandstraße ↔ Warschauer Straße	1902-1926	8,814 km	13
U2	Pankow ↔ Ruhleben	1902-2000	20,716 km	29
U3	Nollendorfplatz ↔ Krumme Lanke	1913-1929	11,940 km	15
U4	Nollendorfplatz ↔ Innsbrucker Platz	1910	2,864 km	5
U5	Alexanderplatz ↔ Hönow	1930-1989	18,356 km	20
U6	Alt-Tegel ↔ Alt-Mariendorf	1923-1966	19,888 km	29
U7	Rathaus Spandau ↔ Rudow	1924-1984	31,760 km	40
U8	Wittenau ↔ Hermannstraße	1927-1996	18,042 km	24
U9	Rathaus Steglitz ↔ Osloer Straße	1961-1976	12,523 km	18

Line numbering

The pre-war U-Bahn line designations consisted of letters, with added Roman numerals in case of line branchings. This system continued to be used into the 1960s on both sides.
After the erection of the wall, East Berlin was left with line E and the eastern half of line A. This oddity and the fact that the two line network was simple to navigate anyway, caused line designations to be gradually abandoned there over the years.
West Berlin abandoned the letter based system in 1966 and replaced it by line numbers 1 through 9, the system still in place today. The shortest line in this system was line 5 which consisted of two stops only (Deutsche Oper - Richard-Wagner-Platz). It was closed in 1970, to be replaced by an extension of line 7 which opened a few years later. This move freed line number 5. West Berlin BVG then decided to reserve this line number for East Berlin's line E in case of reunification - the only line that ran exclusively in East Berlin territory and was therefore not yet covered in the new West Berlin system.
In 1984, BVG became the operator of the West Berlin S-Bahn which until then had been operated
by East Germany's Deutsche Reichsbahn. So they had to incorporate the S-Bahn into their line numbering system, and did so by using the method of West German transport systems by giving new line numbers prefixed by "S" to the S-Bahn, and adding the prefix "U" to the existing U-Bahn lines. So "line 1" became "U1" etc.
After Berlin's reunification in 1990, East Berlin's line E was renumbered U5, as had been planned. At the same time, the eastern half of line A became U2 like its western counterpart, even though at the time they were not yet connected. When U2 was actually rejoined in 1993, the western branches of U1 and U2 were swapped, and the U3 disappeared from the map. What had been U3 -- a short shuttle line between Uhlandstraße and Wittenbergplatz -- became part of the new U15, a line that in theory continued past Wittenbergplatz in parallel with U1, to Schlesisches Tor (and, when it was reopened in 1995, Warschauer Straße); in practice, particularly in off-peak hours, U15 was often operated as a shuttle identical to the old U3. In 2004, the full length of U15 was redesignated U1, and a new U3 was created from what had been the U1 west of Nollendorfplatz to Krumme Lanke. (This was the same route as the U2 until 1993, extended one station further east to Nollendorfplatz enable trains to be reversed).

Stations

Among Berlin's 170 U-Bahn stations there are many with especially striking architecture or unusual design characteristics:

Hermannplatz on the

Hermannplatz station resembles something of an U-Bahn cathedral. The platform area is 7 metres high, 132 metres long and 22 metres wide. It was built in connection with the construction of the first North-South Line (''Nord-Süd-Bahn''), now the U6. The architecturally important department store Karstadt adjacent to the station, was being constructed at the same time. Karstadt contributed a large sum of money towards the decoration of the station and was in return rewarded with direct access from the station to the store. Hermannplatz was also the first U-Bahn station in Berlin to be equipped with escalators. Today, Hermannplatz is a busy interchange between the U7 and U8.

Alexanderplatz on the before renovation in 2004

Alexanderplatz station is another of the more notable U-Bahn stations in Berlin, as well as being an important interchange between three lines (U2, U5 and U8). The first part of the station was opened in 1913 along with an extension of today's U2 line. In the 1920s Alexanderplatz itself was completely redesigned, both above and below ground. The U-Bahn station was expanded to provide access to the new D (today's U8) and E (today's U5) lines, then under construction. The result was a station with a restrained blue-grey tiled colour-scheme and Berlin's first underground shopping facilities, designed by Alfred Grenander. Over the last few years Alexanderplatz station has in stages, been restored to its former glory, the work is due to finish in 2007.

Entrance to Wittenbergplatz

Wittenbergplatz station is also very interesting. Opened in 1902 as a simple station with two side platforms to plans by Paul Wittig. The station was completely redesigned by Alfred Grenander in 1912, with five platform faces, accommodating two new lines, to Dahlem today's (U3) and to Kurfürstendamm, today's Uhlandstraße (Berlin U-Bahn) on the (U1). A provision for a sixth platform was included but has never been completed. The redesign also featured a new entrance building, which blended into the grand architectural styles of Wittenbergplatz and the nearby KaDeWe department store. The interior of the entrance building was again rebuilt after considerable war damage, this time in a contemporary 1950's style. This lasted until the early 1980s when the interior was retro-renovated back into its original style. Wittenbergplatz station was presented with a London style "Roundel type" station sign in 1952, the 50th Anniversary of the Berlin U-Bahn. Today's station is an interchange station between the U1, U2 and U3 lines.

Lower platform of Gleisdreieck on the

The name of the Gleisdreieck (rail triangle) station is still reminiscent of a construction which can only be imagined today. The wye itself was built in the opening year 1902. Plans for a redesign were made soon after, because the wye was already obsolete. An accident on September 26 1908 which claimed 18 to 21 lives was the final straw. The redesign and expansion of the Turmbahnhof, during which the station was still used, took until 1912. After World War II the station was put back into service on October 21 (lower platform) and November 18 (upper platform) 1945. However, service was interrupted again by the construction of the Berlin Wall. From 1972 onwards no trains were running on the lower platform, because servicing the U2 was no longer profitable due to the parallel traffic on the U1. The lower platform was reactivated in 1983, when the test line of the M-Bahn was built from the Gleisdreieck to the Kemperplatz station. It was broken down again after the fall of the Berlin Wall, since it obstructed parts of the reopened U2. Since 1993 the U1 and U2 trains both service the station once more.

Unused stations and tunnels

Innsbrucker Platz on the U10

There are several stations, platforms and tunnels that were built in preparation for future U-Bahn extensions, as well as those that have been abandoned following planning changes. For example, platforms have already been provided for the planned "U3" at Potsdamer Platz on the planned line to Weißensee. It is unlikely that this line, which had the working title "U3" will ever be built, so the platforms have been partially converted into a location for events and exhibitions. The Line number "U3" has been subsequently been used to re-number the branch to Krumme Lanke, which was previously part of "U1".
Line D, today's U8, was originally intended to run directly under Dresdner Straße via Oranienplatz to Kottbusser Tor. This segment of tunnel was abandoned in favour of a slightly less direct route in order to provide the former Wertheim department store at Moritzplatz with a direct connection. This involved the construction of a 90 degree curve of the line between Moritzplatz and Kottbusser Tor stations. The construction of the tunnel under Dresdner Straße had only been partially completed before abandonment, leaving it with only one track. This tunnel is currently separated into three parts, as it was blocked by a concrete wall where it crossed the border between East and West Berlin. Another concrete wall separates this tunnel, which now houses a transformer for an electricity supplier, from the never-completed Oranienplatz Station which is located partially under the square of the same name.
Stralauer Tor was a station on the eastern bank of the Spree between Warschauer Straße and Schlesisches Tor stations, which was completely destroyed in World War II. It had been opened in 1902 and was renamed ''Osthafen'' in 1924. Today, only struts on the viaduct remain to indicate its location. In the post second World War period it was not thought necessary to rebuild the station, due its close proximity to Warschauer Straße station, also because of its location, directly on the border of the Soviet/American sectors. Although a Berlin map dated 1946 does show the station renamed as Besarinstraße after a Soviet General. This name was used later at another location.
''Nürnberger Platz'' station was closed on July 1, 1959. It was replaced by two new stations on either side, Augsburger Straße as well as an interchange station to the U9 at Spichernstraße. Today, nothing remains of the station as a third track siding was constructed in its place.
Another tunnel, which once connected the U4 to its original depot and workshop at Otzenstraße (Schöneberg), is still in existence. The connection from Innsbrucker Platz station to the depot was severed when a deep level motorway subway was constructed in the early 1970s - however, the continuation of the tunnel at Eisackstraße is still in existence for a distance of 270 meters and now ends at the former junction to the workshop of the Schöneberg line.
Platforms at five stations, Rathaus Steglitz, Schloßstraße, Walther-Schreiber-Platz, Innsbrucker Platz, and Kleistpark, were provided for the planned but never constructed U10. The U10 platform at Kleistpark has been converted into office space for the BVG. The other U10 platforms remain unused and are not generally open to the public.
During the construction of Adenauerplatz (U7) station, which was built in conjunction with an underpass, platforms were also provided for a planned U1 extension from Uhlandstraße to Theodor-Heuss-Platz. A short tunnel section was also constructed in front of the Internationalen Congress Centrum (ICC), beneath the Messedamm/Neue Kantstraße junction. This tunnel was built concurrently with a pedestrian subway and was also intended for the planned extension of the U1. The tunnel section, approximately 60 meters long, ends at the location of the planned ''Messe'' station adjacent to Berlins central bus station (ZOB). Currently, the tunnel is used as a storage area for theater props.
At Jungfernheide station, double U-Bahn platforms similar to those at Schloßstraße were built for the planned extension of the U5. The unused platform sides are fenced off. The finished (U5) tunnel section which leads off towards Tegel airport is now used for firefighting exercises.

Telecommunications network coverage

A full GSM (GSM-900 and GSM-1800) mobile phone network for Germany's four carriers is in place throughout the U-Bahn system of stations and tunnels. This system was in place by 1995 for the E-Plus network, and was one of the first metro systems to allow mobile telephone use; by the late 1990s the other networks could be used as well.
Many of the cars on the U-Bahn feature small flat screen displays that feature news headlines from BZ, weekly weather forecasts, and ads for local businesses.

Shops and other services

Most major interchange stations have large shopping concourses with banks, supermarkets, and fast food outlets.

Fares and tickets

Berlin and the state of Brandenburg with VBB fare zones indicated

Tageskarte (day ticket). Note: the Euro is the current denomination.

Fares Overview, from BVG.de. Current Prices and Descriptions of all ride-pass fare types.
As of July 2007, Berlin public transit passes are available from many places, automated and non-automated, BVG, Bahn, and third-party authorized. The Ring-Bahn Line and the other S-Bahn lines are included, as are buses, Metro-Tram and Ferries: the single ride-pass is inclusive for all transportation considered part of the Berlin-Regional public transit system.
Ride-passes (tickets) are available in fare classes: Adult and Reduced. Children between the ages of six and 14, and large dogs, qualify for the reduced fare. Children below the age of six, and small dogs, travel free. There are ''no'' 'Senior Discounts'. Residents who have applied for and received a German Disability Identification card, showing 80% or more disability (ID's available from the Versorgungsamt, German Disability Office [1]), can ride without a pass, including an additional person (as a helper). The disability identification card must be in the owner's possession.
Residents: With unemployment in the east averaging 15%, another common fare class in Berlin is the S(ozial)-Class. These identification cards are cleared through the normal government offices, then fulfilled at a BVG ride-pass non-automated location. Provided either the Job Center (Arbeitsamt) for the resident who is out-of-work, or for people who cannot work/partially disabled, by the Sozialamt, the S-Class ride-passes normally restrict travel to the AB zones, and must be renewed (a new pass purchased at a non-automated location) on the 1st of the month.
Additional passes are available for those which want to bring their 'bicycle' on the public transit. As of this writing, 4.70€ is the price of a bicycle day-pass, ''this is additional to the normal ride-pass''. A bicycle-pass is included in the Student-class ride-pass, which is provided through the Universities.
For small dogs, ones which can be carried in hand, there is no additional fare requirement. For each 'large dog', a Reduced fare ride-pass must be purchased. Tourist Ride-passes, All-day, group passes, and season passes include a dog-fare.
BVG ride-passes are issued for specific periods of time, and most require validation with a stamping machine before they are valid for use. The validation shows the date and time of the first use, and from where the ticket was validated (in code), and therefore when the ticket expires. For example, once validated, an All-Day Pass allows unlimited use, but then expires at 3AM the following day. Unlike most other metro systems, tickets in Berlin are not checked before entering Tram-Metros, U-Bahn or S-Bahn stations. They are checked by the bus drivers upon entering. On the Metro, S-Bahn and U-Bahn, there are random spot checks inside by ''plainclothes'' traffic officers who have the right to demand to see each passengers ticket. Passengers found without a ticket or an expired/invalid ticket are fined: 40 Euros per incident. The passenger may be required to pay on the spot, and is required on the spot to give a valid address to mail the relevant fine notice to (it does not have to be in Germany). On the third incident, the BVG calls the offender to Court, as there is now a history of 'riding without paying'.

Fare zones

Berlin is a part of the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (Berlin-Brandenburg Transit Authority, VBB), which means ticketing and fare systems are unified with that of the surrounding Brandenburg. Berlin is divided into three fare zones, known as A, B, and C. Zone A is the area in the centre of Berlin and is demarcated by the S-Bahn urban rail ring line. Zone B covers the rest of the area within the city borders, and Zone C is the surrounding Berlin. Zone C is divided into eight parts, each belonging to an administrative district. The Potsdam-Mittelmark area is included in the city district of Potsdam.
Tickets can be bought for specific fare zones, or multiple zones. Most passengers who live in Berlin buy AB farezone tickets, while commuters coming in from the suburbs need ABC farezone tickets. If a ticket not valid for travel in a tariff zone is checked by a ticket inspector, the passenger is subject to a fine.

Short-term tickets

Single-journey tickets (''Einzeltickets'') are issued for use within specific fare zones, namely AB, BC, and ABC. They are only valid for two hours after validation, and cannot be extended. The BVG also offers single-day tickets (''Tageskarte''), which are valid for the entire day when first validated until 3 a.m. the next morning.

Long-term tickets

Long-term paper tickets are issued with validity periods of seven days (''7-Tage-Karte'') or one month (''Monatskarten''). The BVG is in the process of introducing the plastic MetroCard as a yearly ticket that also has additional features. The Metrocard also permits passengers to make reservations for hire cars at specific times, for example on weekends. It is expected that plastic Metrocards without such features will be made available they are more durable and ecofriendly than the paper tickets.

Tourist passes

The BVG offers tickets directed specifically for non-resident tourists of Berlin called the WelcomeCard and CityTourCard [2]. WelcomeCards are valid for either 48 or 72 hours, and can be used by one adult and up to three children between the ages of six and 14. WelcomeCards are valid in farezones ABC, and have the additional benefit of a reduction on entry fees to many museums and tourist attractions. See the Current Prices and Descriptions link for more information.

Rolling stock

HK: the newest model of Berlin's U-Bahn trains

The U-Bahn network is divided into ''Kleinprofil'' ("small profile", used by the U1, U2, U3 and U4) and ''Großprofil'' ("large profile", used by the U5, U6, U7, U8 and U9) lines. The names refer to the size of the train's coaches. Großprofil coaches have a width of 2.65 metres and a height of 3.40 metres, and Kleinprofil coaches are only 2.30 metres wide and 3.10 metres high. Technically speaking these are two distinct train networks. Both networks use the Normalspur with a track width of 1435 millimetres and use direct current at a voltage of 750 Volts. Because Großprofil and Kleinprofil use different types of power rails (Kleinprofil vehicles touch the power rail from above, Großprofil ones from below) the trains usually cannot operate on the same route. However, on the ''Nord-Süd-Bahn'' in the years between 1923 and 1927 and on the E line (today's U5) between 1961 and 1978, Kleinprofil trains with speciallly adapted power pickups ran on Großprofil tracks. They were fitted with special wooden boards on the sides to close the gap between platform and train. These wooden boards were jokingly called ''Blumenbretter'' ("flower boards") by the Berlin population.
Also, the polarity of the power rails differs. In the Kleinprofil the power rail is the positive and the track the negative end, in the Großprofil it is the other way around. In East Berlin the polarity of the track section Thälmannplatz/Otto-Grotewohl-Straße - Pankow, Vinetastraße was the same as in the Großprofil. After reunification, this exception to the normal Kleinprofil polarity was reversed by the BVG, even though there are benefits to this arrangement (there is less corrosion of metal parts in the tunnel with the Großprofil polarity).
The newest types of U-Bahn are ''H'' for the Großprofil and ''Hk'' for the Kleinprofil. The oldest vehicles still in service are of the ''F74'' type (Großprofil) and of the ''A3-64'' type (Kleinprofil).

Depots

In Berlin there are one Kleinprofil and three Großprofil workshops. The workshops are divided into ''Hauptwerkstätten'' (Hw, "main workshops") and ''Betriebswerkstätten'' (Bw, "service workshops"). Service workshops only handle minor repairs and maintenance like changing the windows or removing graffiti. Main workshops are used for the full inspections scheduled every few years. Also, lifting the trains off the tracks is only possible in the main workshops.

Accidents

The Berlin U-Bahn ranks among the safest modes of transportation: its history features few accidents.
The most severe accident occurred at the original ''Gleisdreieck'', where the main and branch lines were connected by switches that allowed the tracks to cross. On 26 September, 1908, a train driver missed a stop signal. As a result, two trains collided at the junction, and one fell off the viaduct. The accident killed eighteen people, and severely injured another twenty-one. Gleisdreieck's triangular layout had already been deemed unsuitable for future developments; this incident—and a later, less-serious one—triggered its reconstruction as a multi-level station, starting in 1912.
On 30 June, 1965, a train with brake failure stopped on the G line—today's U9—between Zoologischer Garten and Hansaplatz. Unaware of the faulty train, a mechanic working at the Zoologischer Garten signal tower noticed that the leaving signal had been set to 'Stop' for a long time. Thinking it should be set to 'Go', after several attempts, he manually changed the signal, in defiance of regulations that strictly prohibited such actions. The following train, which had been waiting at Zoologischer Garten, then left the station on the same track. With emergency brakes unable to prevent the accident, the two trains collided. One passenger was killed in the crash, and 97 were injured. The mechanic was fined 600,000 DM.
Fires can be particularly dangerous and damaging within an underground system. In October 1972, two trains and a 200 m length of tunnel were completely destroyed when the trains caught fire; the reconstructed tunnel is clearly differentiated from the old one. Another train burned out in the connecting tunnel between Klosterstraße and Alexanderplatz in 1987. On 8 July, 2000, the last car of a GI/I train suffered a short circuit, burning out at the rear of the Deutsche Oper station. The single exit of the station was unreachable, forcing the passengers to run through the tunnel to reach the next emergency exit. The fire also damaged the station, which remained closed until September. The Portuguese Ambassador, S.E. Nuenes Barata, presented the BVG with azulejos (tiled paintings), specially designed for the station, by the artist José de Guimarães. Installation of Portugal's gift to the city was completed on 30 October, 2002.
As a consequence of the Deutsche Oper incident, BVG decided to post an employee at every station with only one exit until a second exit could be built. Over the following few years, many of those stations—including Britz-Süd, Schillingstraße, Viktoria-Luise-Platz, Uhlandstraße, and Theo. Heuss Platz—were refitted with additional exits. As of September 2007, the only remaining stations with no second exit are Sophie-Charlotte-Platz and Rudow. Despite these changes, several passenger organisations—such as Pro Bahn, and IGEB—demand that stations with exits in the middle of the platform are also fitted with additional emergency exits. Many stations are built this way; meeting those demands would place a heavy financial burden on both the BVG and the city.
The U6 saw a particularly costly, though casualty-free, incident on 25 March, 2003. Scheduled repair work on the line limited the normal service to between Alt-Mariendorf and Kurt-Schumacher-Platz; one train then shuttled back and forth between Kurt-Schumacher-Platz and Holzhauser Straße, sharing a platform at Kurt-Schumacher-Platz with the normal-service trains departing for their return journey to Alt-Mariendorf. Needing to pass several stop signals on the shuttle service, the driver had been given special instructions how to proceed. Unfortunately, he ignored the signal at the entry to Kurt-Schumacher-Platz, and ploughed into the side of a train heading back to Alt-Mariendorf. The impact wrecked both trains, and caused considerable damage to the tracks. Normal service did not resume for two days, and the removal of the two wrecked trains—which, surprisingly, could still roll along the tracks—also took nearly 48 hours.

Future development

Berlin's chronic financial problems and stagnating population make any expansion not mandated by the ''Hauptstadtvertrag''—the document that regulates the necessary changes to the city as the capital of Germany—unlikely. Furthermore, there is still great rivalry for construction money between the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. After the construction boom that followed the reunification of the city, enthusiasm for further growth has cooled off; many people feel that Berlin's needs are adequately met by the present U- and S-Bahn. As of 2007, the only proposals receiving serious consideration aim to facilitate travel around the existing system, such as moving Warschauer Straße's U-Bahn station closer to its S-Bahn station.
There are several long-term plans for the U-Bahn that have no estimated time of completion, most of which involve closing short gaps between stations, enabling them to connect to other lines. The segment between Uhlandstraße and Wittenbergplatz might be built further along the Kurfürstendamm to connect to the U7 at Adenauerplatz; more ambitious plans call for this segment to be separated and expanded into its own line, running from Theodor-Heuss-Platz on the U2, through Potsdamer Platz and Alexanderplatz, before connecting with the S-Bahn at Greifswalder Straße, and ending at Weißensee. This new line was tentatively designated the U3 until December 2004.
In summary, the plans for the Berlin U-Bahn are:
; U1
: The U1 will be extended from its eastern terminus of Warschauer Straße to Frankfurter Tor on the U5.

Rathaus Spandau: western terminus of the

; U2
: Following the extension of the U2 to Pankow in 2000, there are plans to continue on to Ossietzkyplatz. In the west, an extension is planned from Ruhleben to the U7 terminus, Rathaus Spandau—which already has platforms for the U2.
; U3
: There are plans to eventually connect the U3 with the S1 S-Bahn line at Mexikoplatz in the south-west. This is one of the most likely extensions if Berlin is ever able to solve its financial problems.
; U4
: An autobahn underpass makes a southern extension of the U4 unfeasible; however, a possible northern extension would reach Magdeburger Platz, where it would connect with the future line from Potsdamer Platz to the Kurfürstendamm.

Reichstag on the U55

; U5 and U55
: In 2008, the U55 will open, running from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Brandenburger Tor. It is a provisional line; part of a long-planned extension of the U5 from Alexanderplatz to the new central station. Its construction is mandated by the ''Hauptstadtvertrag'', requiring all construction mentioned in it to be completed by 2020. The BVG expects 100,000 passengers to take the U5 extension daily.
: The U5 extension—known as the ''Kanzlerlinie'' (chancellor's line), as it will run through the government quarter—is planned to go through Berliner Rathaus, along Unter den Linden and the Pariser Platz, terminating at Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Plans to extend the U5 to Turmstraße on the U9, and to Jungfernheide on the U7 are considered urgent by the city government, but the extension is unlikely unless Tegel Airport is also expanded.
; U6
: This line is considered complete.
; U7
: An extension of the U7 to Schönefeld International Airport was long planned in conjunction with the renovation and expansion of the airport, but the line is no longer included in cost projections for the airport's enlargement, as the BVG concluded projected passenger numbers did not justify the expense. Plans see the U7 running in the north-west to Staaken.
; U8
: The U8 was extended in 1996 as far as Hermannstraße; further extensions to the south are not planned. In the north, extending to the crowded Märkisches Viertel has long been planned: construction of the station underneath the sports centre on the Senftenberger Ring has already been started. In addition, a station between Rathaus Reinickendorf and Wittenau has been structurally prepared. Named Alt-Wittenau, this station can be completed, should the need arise.
; U9
: Local residents have been waiting for an extension of the U9 to Lankwitz station for years, but there are no current plans to extend the line. A northern extension of the U9 to the future Pankow Kirche U2 station has been abandoned in favour of a tram line.

Films, music and merchandising

The Berlin U-Bahn has appeared in numerous films and music videos. Offering access to stations, tunnels, and trains, the BVG cooperates with film-makers, although a permit is required.^[3]
Whether set in Berlin or elsewhere, the U-Bahn has had at least a minor role in a large number of movies and television programmes, including ''Emil und die Detektive'' (2001), ''Otto – Der Film'' (1985), ''Peng! Du bist tot'' (1987) featuring Ingolf Lück, ''Run Lola Run'' (1998), and several Tatort episodes. The previously-unused Reichstag station was used to shoot scenes of the movies ''Resident Evil'' and ''Equilibrium''.

"Underwear" used suggestive station names

''Möbius 17'', by Frank Esher Lämmer and Jo Preussler from Berlin, tells the story of an U-Bahn train that, caught in a Möbius strip, travels through alternate universes after a new line is built. Alexanderplatz station plays an essential role in ''Berlin Alexanderplatz''—a film of thirteen hour-long chapters and one epilogue—produced in 1980 by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, based on the book by Döblin. The film's scenes feature a recreation of the station as it was in 1928—rather darker and dirtier than in the 21st century. In the surrealistic two-hour epilogue, Fassbinder transforms parts of the station into a slaughterhouse where people are killed and dissected.
Since 2001, the Berlin U-bahn has hosted the annual short-film festival ''Going Underground''. Short films (up to 90 seconds long) are shown on the monitors found in many of the U-Bahn trains.^[4] Passengers onboard vote for the festival winner.
Sandy Mölling, former singer of the pop band No Angels, shot the video for her single "Unnatural Blonde" in the U-Bahn station Deutsche Oper. Kate Ryan, Overground, Böhse Onkelz, Xavier Naidoo, Die Fantastischen Vier, the DJ duo Blank & Jones, and Melendiz have all used the U-Bahn and its stations for their videos as well.
"Linie 1", a musical preformed by Berlin's Grips-Theater, is set completely in stations and trains of the Berlin U-Bahn; a movie version has also been produced.
In 2002, the BVG cooperated with design students in a project to create underwear with an U-Bahn theme, which, in English, they named "Underwear". They used the names of real stations that, in the context of underwear, appeared to be mild sexual double entendres: men's underpants bore labels with ''Rohrdamm'' (pipe dam), ''Onkel Toms Hütte'' (Uncle Tom's Cabin), and ''Krumme Lanke'' (crooked lake); the women's had ''Gleisdreieck'' (triangle track), and ''Jungfernheide'' (virgin heath). After the first series sold out quickly, several others were commissioned, such as ''Nothammer'' (emergency hammer), and ''Pendelverkehr'' (shuttle service; though ''Verkehr'' also means "intercourse"). They were retired from sale in 2004.

See also

★ Berlin S-Bahn

★ Berlin Straßenbahn

★ M-Bahn

★ Ghost station

★ List of rapid transit systems

Footnotes

1.
The Berlin metro (U-Bahn)
2.
Geschäftsbericht 2006 der BVG
3.
Filming with the BVG
4.
Alles über GU (All about Going Underground)

References

;English

★ Brian Hardy: ''The Berlin U-Bahn'', Capital Transport, 1996, ISBN 1-85414-184-8
;German

★ Jan Gympel: ''U-Bahn Berlin - Reiseführer''. GVE-Verlag, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-89218-072-5

★ AG Berliner U-Bahn: ''Zur Eröffnung der elektrischen Hoch-und Untergrundbahn in Berlin''. GVE-Verlag, Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-89218-077-6

★ Jürgen Meyer-Kronthaler und Klaus Kurpjuweit: ''Berliner U-Bahn – In Fahrt seit Hundert Jahren''. be.bra Verlag, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-930863-99-5

★ Petra Domke und Markus Hoeft: ''Tunnel Gräben Viadukte – 100 Jahre Baugeschichte der Berliner U-Bahn''. kulturbild Verlag, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-933300-00-2

★ Ulrich Lemke und Uwe Poppel: ''Berliner U-Bahn''. alba Verlag, Düsseldorf, ISBN 3-87094-346-7

★ Robert Schwandl: ''Berlin U-Bahn Album. Alle 192 Untergrund- und Hochbahnhöfe in Farbe''. Robert Schwandl Verlag, Berlin Juli 2002, ISBN 3-936573-01-8

★ Jürgen Meyer-Kronthaler: ''Berlins U-Bahnhöfe – Die ersten hundert Jahre''. be.bra Verlag, Berlin 1996, ISBN 3-930863-16-2

External links

★ BVG website (English)

★ VSWB.de - Disused Rails and Lanes in Berlin

★ Metro Bits: Berlin U-Bahn photo page