- S-Bahn birthday party on the historic special train
The celebrations for the 100th birthday of the Berlin S-Bahn began with a ride in a historic train on the route between today's Berlin Nordbahnhof and Bernau. The 86 and 96-year-old carriages were extensively upgraded by the Historical S-Bahn Association to meet the latest safety standards and obtain a traffic permit for the Berlin S-Bahn network.
Many curious onlookers awaited the train in Bernau and took the opportunity to take photos. On August 8, 1924, the first electric train started operating on the historic route between the former Stettiner Vorortbahnhof and the Brandenburg town of Bernau.
Evers calls it a "milestone for the development of Berlin"
The day is considered the birth of the capital's S-Bahn, although there had been previous attempts with electric trains and even a first regular operation at the beginning of the century. However, the quarter-train concept and the timetable traffic only started later.
"This was a milestone for the development of Berlin, the development of our metropolis," said Berlin's Finance Senator Stefan Evers (CDU). The route is also an important element for connecting with neighboring Brandenburg.
The birthday will be celebrated over the next four days with further historic special rides, numerous thematic exhibitions, and a musical framework program. Berlin rapper Romano has contributed a birthday song for the public transport company.
There are many program points at different stations throughout the city. For example, the German Museum of Technology is showing a special exhibition on the beginnings of the S-Bahn, featuring one of the oldest preserved S-Bahn cars from 1924.
The Berlin S-Bahn, with its north-south connection, city, and ring railway, together with the offers of the Berlin Transport Company (BVG), forms the backbone of Berlin's public transport. On average, 1.5 million people use it every workday to travel through Berlin and Brandenburg.
16 lines run over the approximately 340-kilometer-long S-Bahn network, of which 257 kilometers are in Berlin and 83 kilometers in Brandenburg. Entry and exit are possible at 168 S-Bahn stations, of which 132 are in Berlin.
"We would of course wish together that this S-Bahn continues to develop," said André Stahl (Left), mayor of Bernau, at the celebration in Berlin's neighboring city. This includes a stable timetable, more capacities, and a ten-minute interval to Bernau. "That's a wish that many people here in this region have, that we have in Bernau."
The head of the S-Bahn, Peter Buchner, recently noted that there is still much potential in the expansion of infrastructure. "Not all tracks were rebuilt to double tracks after the Second World War and also after reunification," he said in the "Tagesspiegel" on the occasion of the 100th birthday of the S-Bahn. "That causes us problems today." Less was also restored regarding the power supply and parking tracks.
Nevertheless, Buchner sees the company well-positioned today. "We have significantly expanded our offer for our passengers last year." Longer trains run in denser intervals. "We can offer up to 6,700 more seats per hour in peak times." Instead of six, seven trains now run on the city railway within 20 minutes. "Our offer is much better today."
On the actual birthday of the Berlin S-Bahn, which falls on August 8, a historic train ride will take place, recreating the initial journey from 1924 on Sunday. Many residents and visitors looking to celebrate this significant milestone are encouraged to join the festivities on this special Sunday.
