Construction Nears Completion: Eight Tracks at Berlin Central Station Closed Until Tuesday

Travelers using Berlin Central Station should prepare for disruptions over the Easter weekend, as construction work continues to impact services. Until Tuesday morning, the underground level of the station will be fully closed, limiting access to the eight tracks located in this area.

The Deutsche Bahn has confirmed that, despite the temporary closure, train services to and from Berlin will continue. However, long-distance trains will not stop at the lower platforms or at the Südkreuz station, instead primarily operating from the above-ground section of Berlin Central Station. Additional stops will be available at Gesundbrunnen, Ostbahnhof, Ostkreuz, and Lichtenberg. Passengers should expect travel times to increase by as much as 20 minutes due to these diversions. Moreover, some trains on the route from Hamburg through Berlin to Munich may be canceled, and regional trains will also face rerouting and canceled stops.

The ongoing construction work at the underground level of the station began in mid-February, and for the past two months, only four of the eight tracks have been operational. Earlier in March, a complete closure of all tracks occurred for maintenance work.

The purpose of these construction activities is to install additional switches and signals at the underground tracks, which will allow for faster and more flexible access for trains to the platforms. The newly installed switches will enable trains to switch to adjacent tracks if one is occupied. Additionally, the introduction of new 'train protection signals' will allow two trains to stop at the same platform consecutively, thereby increasing the capacity for handling more trains and enabling longer trains to be split when necessary.

By Tuesday morning, services will resume at the underground level. The Deutsche Bahn has reported that the construction work is proceeding according to schedule. The S-Bahn services and the above-ground section of Berlin Central Station remain unaffected by these construction activities.