Complete Closure of Eight Tracks at Berlin Central Station for Construction Works

The lower level of Berlin's central train station will undergo a complete shutdown this weekend due to ongoing construction activities, which have been in progress for approximately a month. Starting from tonight at 10:00 PM until Monday at 4:00 AM, the eight tracks located in the station's underground area will be inaccessible to train services, as announced by Deutsche Bahn.

This closure primarily impacts long-distance travelers, as there will be no train services between the lower central station and Südkreuz over the weekend. Instead, long-distance trains will redirect their stops to Gesundbrunnen, Ostbahnhof, and Lichtenberg stations. Despite the disruptions, Deutsche Bahn has assured that the full range of train services will continue to operate in all directions to and from Berlin.

Construction works in the station's basement commenced in mid-February, resulting in only four out of the eight tracks being operational for the time being. The ongoing construction is expected to cause further alterations in regional train services, with some lines being redirected or certain stops being omitted during the full closure of the lower platform.

The primary objective of the construction is to install additional switches and signals at the tracks within the basement area. This upgrade aims to facilitate quicker and more flexible access for trains to the platforms. The newly implemented switches will allow trains to divert to neighboring tracks in case of congestion, while the introduction of new signals will enable two trains to be positioned simultaneously at a single platform. According to Deutsche Bahn, these enhancements will increase the efficiency of train operations and allow for longer trains to be split when necessary.

In addition to this weekend's complete shutdown, the lower station area will also be closed from April 18 to April 22 for inspections and finalizations related to the construction works. Notably, the S-Bahn services and the above-ground sections of the central station will remain unaffected by these developments.