Starting this week, the Berlin Hauptbahnhof is undergoing extensive renovations that will significantly impact train services. As of Tuesday, only four of the station's eight tracks are operational, leading to a noticeable decrease in train frequency. Travelers will experience these changes for the next six weeks, during which certain trains will terminate at alternative stations, including Südkreuz and Gesundbrunnen. Construction barriers and steel plates have been erected, effectively dividing the station. Passengers will now find that trains depart from both directions at platforms previously designated for northbound services. The confusion has been exacerbated by new information boards that mistakenly indicate a complete lack of train service on platforms one to four, referring instead to the affected tracks. The German railway company announced plans to install six new switches within the tunnel to enhance operational flexibility, allowing simultaneous departures and arrivals of two trains in the same direction. This construction effort will necessitate the closure of half of the underground station until April 22. Initially, the need for these upgrades was identified in November, but public communication did not occur until January. The switches were originally meant to be installed at the time of the station's opening in 2006 but were omitted to expedite the project, a decision that is now leading to significant operational disruptions. During the construction, two extended weekends will see a complete halt of services in the underground section: from March 21 to 24 and April 18 to 22, coinciding with the Easter holiday. During these periods, long-distance trains that typically stop at Hauptbahnhof will be rerouted to other major Berlin stations. Importantly, the S-Bahn and above-ground operations at Hauptbahnhof will remain unaffected by these construction activities. The regional lines will experience significant changes: services on RE 3, RE 5, RB 14, and RB 23 will be altered, with some routes ceasing to stop at usual stations. The RE 3 service will see certain trains drop off between Gesundbrunnen and Südkreuz, while RE 5 will terminate in Gesundbrunnen coming from the north. Additionally, the RB 23 will now run every two hours through the city, maintaining a direct connection between Potsdam-Griebnitzsee and the airport. Meanwhile, the Odeg-operated RE8 will only connect to Südkreuz, with the northern segment remaining unchanged. This year is set to present considerable challenges for rail commuters in Berlin. Starting in August, the ICE line to Hamburg will undergo a nine-month closure, redirecting trains through Stendal and extending travel times by at least 45 minutes with reduced service frequency. Furthermore, from October 24, Südkreuz will be completely closed to both long-distance and regional traffic for seven weeks, restricting access to Hauptbahnhof from the north only. This closure is part of the implementation of a new electronic signaling system at Südkreuz, which is expected to improve overall service efficiency in the long term.