Everybody arriving in Berlin as of today, 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 Sch�nefeld 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.

Here are some details, published in today'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 Sch�nefeld, via Treptower Park and Baumschulenweg.

The RE1 regional train IS running, but it doesn'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 S�d 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 Sch�nefeld (Airport) to S�dkreuz, 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 Sch�nefeld to Gr�nau, 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 and you can imagine taxis are scarce.

Don't draw a too scary picture.

Most tourists are not really affected because the main problem is on the S-Bahn route between Bahnhof Zoo and Ostbahnhof and down to Sch�nefeld, most tourists however arrive in Tegel and use busses and subway. Both are not affected, so aren't the trams. Everything is by far more inconvenient for Berliners than it is for tourists.

The Regional trains are not affected either and these services are running more frequently. Given that the train from the suburbs into the main connecting Stations Zoo and Ostbahnhof are running.

Certainly there is no rent-a-car and no taxi problem.

In fact the DB is running extra regional trains on the main east-west route, stopping only, as noted above, at normal regional-express stations.

This is simply not true. Large numbers of people arrive at Sch�nefeld on EasyJet, just for one example, as well as other carriers such as Germanwings. And most will be following the directions from their guide books to take the S-Bahn into town.

Rental cars are indeed in short supply in Berlin, at least according to the local papers and radio.

This problem is now expected to drag on until December.

True. I always forget about Easyjet, my bad. I arrived in Berlin 7am this morning and I am currently on the TXL bus. No problems for me coming from Tegel.

The Berlin S-Bahn has announced that some service will resume ahead of schedule on the cross-town "Stadtbahn" tracks between Bahnhof Zoo and Ostbahnhof, and to Flughafen Sch�nefeld, as of Monday, August 3.

However, there still aren't nearly enough restored train-sets available, so service will still be limited for the foreseeable future. In principal, most S-Bahn trains will be running only every 20 minutes, but trains will be running 9 times per hour on the Stadtbahn.

The trains from Munich and Stuttgart which had been brought in on an emergency basis for the north-south lines will be taken out of service as of Monday.

I doubt that they will be on track again so fast, but we will see.

Yes, they ARE re-starting limited service on Monday. If you read German, the story is here.

I preferred the "emgerency situation". I travel into Berlin from Potsdam and we saw an increased number of regional express trains on the route replacing the S-Bahn and shortening the journey.

I was in Berlin earlier this week, and none of the services seemed especially crowded. Most of the S-Bahn lines ran only every 20 minutes and with shortened consists, but the trains were punctual, and I usually got a seat. The (supplemental) express S-Bahn trains on the Stadtbahn from Potsdam to Berlin-Ostbahnhof are a great idea, and they were enthusiastically used. The U-Bahn ran with some additional trains, and presented no problems at all. S-Bahn cars taken out of service for checking the axles (or was it the wheels?) are returning to service fairly quickly.

Update:

- S-Bahn trains back to normal schedule but crowded due to shorter trains
- Stadtbahn (Spandau--> Sch�nefeld airport) ceased direct operations, tourists need to change now in Ostkreuz (NO elevators available)
- inbound travellers from Sch�nefeld with heavy luggage should go past Ostkreuz to Frankfurter Allee and take the U-Bahn from there to Alexanderplat (fully covered by elevators/escalators)
- rental cars being short in supply is just a rumor, all major rental companies have sufficient stock

Hi,
the S-Bahn will partly shut down tomorrow. The following tracks won't have any service
Alexanderplatz --> Main Station --> Zoo --> Spandau
Alexanderplatz --> Main Station --> Zoo --> Potsdam
And of lesser interest for tourists
Springpfuhl --> Wartenberg
Sch�neweide --> Spindlersfeld
Everywhere else will probably be a 20 min services. However, avoid the s-bahn tomorow, many people won't know it, and the trains will be busy.
cheers
757DUD

Rail operator Deutsche Bahn has just recalled 75 percent of its S-Bahn commuter trains in Berlin for a yet another problem: testing of braking systems. That means shut down lines and reduced service on the lines still running.

The main artery Alexanderplatz - Friedrichstrasse - Hauptbahnhof - Bahnhof Zoo - Westkreuz - Spandau is now again out of service.

Also the line from Westkreuz to Nikolassee that many people use to get to Potsdam is shut down.

On the remaining lines, there may be lengthy waits and overfilled trains.

This situation is expected to continue well into the winter months.

According to the Berlin Transit Corporation (BVG) website, here are the S-Bahn lines that ARE operating:

S1 Potsdam Central Station (Hbf) <> Oranienburg
S2 Bernau <> Blankenfelde
S25 Teltow Town <> Yorckstra�e as well as Sch�nholz <> Hennigsdorf
S3 - Erkner <> Ostbahnhof
S41 Ring (clockwise)
S42 Ring (counter-clockwise)
S46 K�nigs Wusterhausen <> Hermannstrasse
S5 Strausberg <> Alexanderplatz (busses to cover Strausberg <> Strausberg North)
S7 Ahrensfelde <> Alexanderplatz
S8 Hohen Neuendorf <> Blankenburg
S9 Flughafen Berlin-Sch�nefeld (airport) <> Treptower Park

S45, S47, S75 and S85 are NOT running.

The BVG is beefing up its U-Bahn (subway/underground) lines and putting on extra buses to cover some of the gaps in service. Some Deutsche Bahn regional trains ply the Stadtbahn, the main trestle through the city centre ie Alexanderplatz to Zoo station, but service is not as frequent as with the S-Bahn. Normal Berlin transit tickets are also valid on the DB trains.

The latest news, in Focus news magazine, quoting "insiders," is that the Berlin S-Bahn will not be getting back to fully normal operation until March 2010.

They have to change some 4800 brake cylinders in 300 S-Bahn trains.

I think they might begin to restore service on the main "Stadtbahn" artery as soon as they have sufficient rolling stock. But for the moment, it seems they're concentrating on maintaining some service in the more outlying areas where there aren't as many alternative transportation links.