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Controversial proposal for Berlin subway network leaves people shaking their heads

Vision for local transport

Berlin subway network: Radical plan causes heads to shake

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The BVG in figures

The BVG in figures

These are the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe: Interesting facts about the BVG

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The future vision of the BVG to expand the subway network in Berlin is met with widespread rejection. The criticism is more than clear.

  • The BVG wants to massively expand the Berlin subway network
  • The plans trigger skepticism among associations
  • The BUND speaks of “megalomania”, the passenger association Igeb of a “premature April Fool’s joke”.

Berlin The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz (BUND) in Berlin has opposed the idea of ​​expanding Berlin’s subway network. “The vision of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), the Berliner Subway infrastructure more than doubling to 318 kilometers is one thing above all: the complete misjudgment of the transport policy necessities in the city,” said BUND state manager Tilmann Heuser on Sunday. He spoke of “megalomania.”

“In view of the escalating climate crisis, the capital’s tram network must be expanded,” he said. “Only with the tram can Berlin achieve a comparatively rapid, nationwide improvement in local transport.” “They’re in Berlin almost completely covered,” says Heuser. The greater Berlin area – including the S-Bahn – has a metro network of almost 500 kilometers. “Even today, this is a high value in an international comparison.”



Heuser referred to the reporting in the Berliner Morgenpost, according to which the BVG in an internal paper for the ongoing coalition negotiations between the CDU and SPD, outlines the vision of a radical expansion of the subway. According to this, 171 kilometers of subway lines could be built step by step, as well as additional tram and express bus lines. Proposed will be the extension of all subway lines and a new ring line.


Heuser fears that considerations for more subway routes could hinder or stop expansion plans for the tram. “Even though, given the costs alone, the realization of the subway dreams is completely unrealistic.” Heuser calculated: “According to the current price level, the construction of the 171 kilometers of new subway lines should not be less than 35 billion euros cost.” That is more Money, when Berlin intends to use it for the expansion and modernization of the entire local transport network by 2035. “The money could be used to build up to 1,700 kilometers of new tram lines.”


BVG wants to massively expand Berlin’s subway network – passenger association suspects premature April Fool’s joke


Also the passenger association Igeb considers the visions of the BVG to be completely unrealistic and puts the doubling of the subway network in the vicinity of an early April Fool’s joke. “Perhaps the BVG just wanted to draw attention to their problems with a mixture of premature April Fools’ Day and provocation, and they succeeded,” the passenger association said in a statement.

“The fact that the BVG needs billions to modernize or expand infrastructure and vehicles is undisputed, buses, trams and subways are often overloaded, delayed and unfortunately all too often not a really good reason for that Auto leave it standing.” That is why there is an urgent need to invest in the BVG and to expand the transport offer. “Without attractive local public transport, the goals of climate protection and the turnaround in traffic in Berlin cannot be achieved.”

The CDU and SPD are currently negotiating a common one coalition agreement. Schwarz-Rot plans to invest up to ten billion euros in the environmentally friendly conversion of Berlin in the coming years. This includes the massive expansion of local public transport. In addition to the route expansion, attractive ticket prices such as the 29-euro ticket should also contribute to more public transport use.


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