Table 4.4: Metro and Suburban Rail
U.S., Canada, Western Europe and Australasia
Berlin     (4.4.1, 2008.6)
City and Country
Population Served
System Length, km / mi
Annual Passengers (million)
Average Travel Distance, km / mi
Annual Traffic Density (million)
           
Berlin - DB
DE
6,000,000
2,121 / 1,315
    
0.9
S-Bahn-1927
  
@ 4,200,000
u 4,100,000
275.4 / 170.7
358
9.5 / 5.9
12
1937
  
@ 4,450,000
u 4,339,000
291.0 / 180.4
512
"
17
1948
  
@ 3,350,000
u 3,250,000
"
496
"
16
1955
  
@ 3,500,000
u 3,350,000
"
420
"
14
             
East-1965
  
@ 1,200,000
u 1,078,000
163.5 / 101.4
242
9.5 / 5.9
14
East-1983
  
@ 1,300,000
u 1,185,000
171.2 / 106.1
158
"
9
East-1989
  
@ 1,400,000
u 1,279,000
176.9 / 109.7
178
"
10
             
West-1975
  
@ 1,984,000
144.8 / 89.8
25
9.5 / 5.9
2
West-1984
  
@ 1,900,000
70.0 / 43.4
18
"
2.4
West-1989
  
@ 1,850,000
  
48
    
             
1995
  
@ 4,200,000
u 3,475,000
293 / 182
244.7
9.6 / 5.9
8.0
2005
  
4,262,000
u 3,400,000
331/ 205
356.8
"
10.2
             
U-Bahn-1920
  
@ 3,800,000
37.3 / 23.1
101
6 / 4
16
1930
  
@ 4,200,000
78.3 / 48.5
256.5
"
20
1940
  
@ 4,300,000
"
328.1
"
25
             
East-1957
  
@ 1,110,000
15.8 / 9.8
109
3.4 / 2.1
23
East-1960
  
@ 1,107,000
"
90
3.5 / 2.2
20
East-1970
  
@ 1,090,000
"
61
"
13
East-1975
  
@ 1,110,000
16.0 / 9.9
78
"
17
             
West-1960
  
@ 2,190,000
69.2 / 42.9
141.3
6 / 4
12
West-1962
  
@ 2,300,000
68.6 / 42.5
191
"
17
West-1966
  
@ 2,190,000
78.7 / 48.8
216.9
6.1 / 3.8
16
West-1970
  
@ 2,100,000
82.1 / 50.9
232.9
6 / 4
17
West-1984
  
@ 1,900,000
106.0 / 65.7
346
"
20
             
2005
  
3,400,000
144.2 / 89.4
463.7
6.3 / 3.9
20
             
U1
    
8.9 / 5.5
      
U2
    
20.7 / 12.8
      
U3
    
12.1 / 7.5
      
U4
    
2.9 / 1.8
      
U5
    
18.4 / 11.4
      
U6
    
19.9 / 12.3
      
U7
    
31.8 / 19.7
      
U8
    
18.0 / 11.2
      
U9
    
12.5 / 7.7
      
Key to Symbols:
* = in planning; ** = under construction.
*** = operated for less than 12 months as noted; traffic density scaled up to annual rate.
@ = population corresponds with historic data year.
u = population within municipal boundary.
 
Notes for Table 4.4
Berlin - General: see Notes, Table 3.2.
DB: Trains are operated by DB Regio AG, Regionalbereich Berlin/Brandenburg. Other cities served include Brandenburg (Havel), Cottbus, Frankfurt (Oder) and Potsdam. Annual traffic density calculated from reported annual total passenger-km.
S-Bahn: The first of the three major S-Bahn trunk lines, the Ringbahn, was opened in stages from 1871 to 1877. The Stadtbahn, which extends east-west across the city center on viaduct, was opened in 1882. The north-south tunnel, was proposed (with the Stadtbahn) in 1871 but construction was not started until 1933. The Nord-Süd Bahn was opened in 1936-1939.
Electrification was first proposed in 1899, and experimental operation using a contact rail and low-voltage d.c. current was conducted 1900-1902. The first permanent installation, Potsdamer Vorortbahnhof – Lichterfelde Ost, 9.3 km / 5.8 mi, from 1903 July 8, used contact rail and d.c. traction current. An experimental operation using high-voltage a.c. current was conducted 1903-1906. Full-scale electrification began with two lines extending northward from Stettiner Vorortbahnhof, using contact rail and 800V d.c. traction current. The opening of service to Bernau, on 1924 August 8, is considered the start of S-Bahn operation. Opening of service to Bernau and Oranienburg was followed by the Große Elektrisierung (Great Electrification) program of 1928-1930, during which 156.4 km / 96.8 mi of lines were converted to electric traction. The “S” symbol was introduced from 1930 December 1. Electrification extensions 1933-1943, including the Wannseebahn to Potsdam and opening of the north-south tunnel, expanded the network by 49.6 km / 30.8 mi.
Following division of Berlin into four sectors in 1945, tramway, S-Bahn and U-Bahn services continued to operate between East and West Berlin. Unified working continued through the Berlin-Blockade (Berlin Blockade) of 1948 June - 1949 May.
The tramway network was separated along the boundary between East and West Berlin from 1953 January 16. S-Bahn and U-Bahn networks were not divided until the night of 1961 August 12, when construction of the Berliner Mauer ("Berlin Wall") began.
S-Bahn Berlin GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary undertaking of Deutsche Bahn AG, assumed operation of the Berlin S-Bahn nework from 1995 January 1.
Reopening of the Ringbahn completed 2002 June 15 (Westhafen–Gesundbrunnen)
Most recent extension: Lichterfelde Süd – Teltow-Stadt, 2.5 km / 1.5 mi, opened 2005 February 24. Of the current system length, 250 km / 155 mi is within the Berlin municipal boundary.
 
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