New Berlin airport services

[Taunton]

Wondering what the rail arrangements at the new Berlin airport are, though it will be a while before I get the chance.

- What is the new station like?
- What stock on the new Flughafen Express?
- Is the Express premium fare or normal BVG fare?
- Am I correct that the Express, because of its routing via the north Ring, takes the same time to the Hbf as tha all-stations S-Bahn?
- Are the regional services through the airport interleaved with the Express, or do they form this service?

 

[gordonthemoron]

I was in Berlin last week, whilst I haven't been to the new airport I did investigate services, so:

Wondering what the rail arrangements at the new Berlin airport are, though it will be a while before I get the chance.

- What is the new station like? - no idea
- What stock on the new Flughafen Express? - the existing Airport Express is diverted from Schoenefeld to BER Terminal 1-2, there is a new service from HBF-Gesundbrunnen-Ostkreuz-BER 1-2, this is not much different in timing than the old services, and it handily avoids most places where the hotels are
- Is the Express premium fare or normal BVG fare? - normal fare ABC
- Am I correct that the Express, because of its routing via the north Ring, takes the same time to the Hbf as tha all-stations S-Bahn? - same time as Airport Express I think, S9 is extended beyond Schoenefeld to BER 1-2
- Are the regional services through the airport interleaved with the Express, or do they form this service? - the only regional services beyond the express are the old Airport Express which runs every half hour, the express runs once an hour I think. I presume the S bahn from the sourthern ring is still running

 

[StephenHunter]

Schoenefeld has been renamed to BER Terminal 5. There is no Terminals 3 and 4, although space has been allocated for them in the plans.

Believe the Airport Express is still loco-hauled double-decker sets.

 

[TRAX]

The FEX is formed of Class 147 locos + Twindexx coaches.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The fastest service from Hbf to BER is the new IC Rostock-Berlin-Dresden service, which runs via (and reverses at) BER T1/2.
It uses the Stadler KISS EMUs acquired from Westbahn, and I believe there is no IC supplement on this leg.
There's this on the BER web site on the wider service:

Arrival and departure by Public transport

Fast and convenient: BER is very well connected to public transport in Berlin and surrounding areas.

ber.berlin-airport.de

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Lots of info on punkt3.de, fortnightly magazine for vbb travellers

I want to visit Wassmannsdorf sometime, a 'civilian' station on the big curve between the two airport stations, looks interesting

Apparently taxi drivers are unhappy, they expect less custom because train services to the airport are so good

 

[BahrainLad]

This article is an excellent overview

Berlin Airport Opening (BER)

On 31 October Berlin's new airport - dubbed BER - will open to passengers. We take a look at train services to the new airport and changes that are afoot at the former Schönefeld Airport that will secure a new identity as BER Terminal 5.

www.europebyrail.eu

Basically - there are at least 4 mainline trains per hour into the centre, taking around 30 minute, all for the city price of €3.60.

The S-Bahn takes longer and stops more often.

 

[30907]

The fastest service from Hbf to BER is the new IC Rostock-Berlin-Dresden service, which runs via (and reverses at) BER T1/2.
It uses the Stadler KISS EMUs acquired from Westbahn, and I believe there is no IC supplement on this leg.

Yes, as per the linked articles you can use local tickets (not the only IC service in Brandenburg where that applies). It only runs 2-hourly though.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Not worth waiting long for the IC if it's only 2-hourly. If it's the next train, sure, maybe even the one after next, but you'll only "enjoy" the extra comfort for half an hour maximum.

 

[1D54]

So if you land at T5 do you still use Schönefeld Station for the S bahn services or has that gone?

 

[Richard Scott]

Not worth waiting long for the IC if it's only 2-hourly. If it's the next train, sure, maybe even the one after next, but you'll only "enjoy" the extra comfort for half an hour maximum.

Not sure any extra comfort to be had on a Stadler unit!!!!!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

S9 and S45 still call at T5/Schönefeld, en route to T1/2.
Regional trains will also call there "from 2022".
Looks like T5 will be used by Ryanair and some other LCCs.
BA and easyJet use T1.

 

[Gag Halfrunt]

So if you land at T5 do you still use Schönefeld Station for the S bahn services or has that gone?

Schönefeld station has been renamed, as mentioned above.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Lots of people living near the closed Tegel airport are pleased
I did read about someone who moved there in 2011 believing the airport would close in 2012

Now lots of different people outwith Berlin and in the leafy suburbs have to suffer the noise, but I guess it affects fewer people in future

 

[Austriantrain]

Believe the Airport Express is still loco-hauled double-decker sets.

There is already a discussion going on in Berlin that the Airport Express services should be paused for the moment. Quite rightly, since demand is extremely low.

 

[1D54]

There is already a discussion going on in Berlin that the Airport Express services should be paused for the moment. Quite rightly, since demand is extremely low.

If the government are footing the bill then let them get on with it otherwise cut the service to one per hour. There is always S9 and S45 for people that need to be in the centre of the city.

 

[Welly]

Cab ride from Nauen to Schoenfeld via Berlin Hbf on YouTube:

 

[Taunton]

If the government are footing the bill then let them get on with it

That's not really the approach at all, squander the costs just because the government is paying ...

It seems that not only are flights and passengers overall extremely restricted at present, but the principal remaining operator there is the Ryanair airline, who do not use the new terminal, only the old Schonefeld one.

The issue with the wonder new Hauptbahnhof station is that, supposedly in the city centre, it is also in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by empty spaces - some but by no means all left over from its construction. The S9, meantime, serves significant commercial points like Friedrichstrasse or Zoo, and elsewhere along the east-west line, where all the hotels, offices, shops, other useful connections, etc, are. It may be that having waited for an Airport Express and come into the Hbf, you longwindedly transfer to the S-Bahn to find that you are getting into the same S9 to go to say Zoo that left the airport after you.

 

[30907]

The S9, meantime, serves significant commercial points like Friedrichstrasse or Zoo, and elsewhere along the east-west line, where all the hotels, offices, shops, other useful connections, etc, are. It may be that having waited for an Airport Express and come into the Hbf, you longwindedly transfer to the S-Bahn to find that you are getting into the same S9 to go to say Zoo that left the airport after you.

You forget the RE7/14 which take the Stadtbahn route - though the spacing in the hour needs adjusting.

 

[StephenHunter]

The Hauptbahnhof replaced a smaller S-Bahn only station of Lehrter Bahnhof, but has good connections; there is also the new north-south line that runs through the lower-level station.

Also, the U5 connection between the Brandenburg Gate and Alexanderplatz opens on 4 December; although the Museuminsel station will not open until next year. Unter den Linden will serve as an interchange with U6 and this will result in the closure of Französische Straße only 300 metres to its south.

 

[duesselmartin]

Diverting from the rail topic, BVG bus lines X9 and TXL will cease operation as from today.
These served Tegel airport.

 

[cactustwirly]

You forget the RE7/14 which take the Stadtbahn route - though the spacing in the hour needs adjusting.

I would have thought the FEX services would have taken the same route, providing connections to places like Alexanderplatz

 

[Taunton]

I would have thought the FEX services would have taken the same route, providing connections to places like Alexanderplatz

I understand from Ostkreuz they take the Ring, north side, through Gesundbrunnen, and then come down into the new Hbf from the north. I don't recall any main line Fernbahn connections at Ostkreuz from the line over the river bridge into the east-west Stadtbahn, only the S-Bahn tracks doing so.

 

[cactustwirly]

I understand from Ostkreuz they take the Ring, north side, through Gesundbrunnen, and then come down into the new Hbf from the north. I don't recall any main line Fernbahn connections at Ostkreuz from the line over the river bridge into the east-west Stadtbahn, only the S-Bahn tracks doing so.

Most people using these services want Berlin city centre, the stadtbahn provides the best options for this.
People wanting fernbahn can use Hauptbahnhof

 

[30907]

I would have thought the FEX services would have taken the same route, providing connections to places like Alexanderplatz
...
Most people using these services want Berlin city centre, the stadtbahn provides the best options for this.
People wanting fernbahn can use Hauptbahnhof

I suspect the Stadtbahn is a bit busy, and is not designed for short working, meaning that any train has to run through to somewhere like Charlottenburg and reverse at Gruenewald yard.
The medium term plan for the FEX is to use the reopened Dresdner Bahn via Suedkreuz, meanwhile Gesundbrunnen is getting to be a significant interchange so connecting it to BER is useful.
On your second point, I think you are right for visitors, but not for residents.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I understand from Ostkreuz they take the Ring, north side, through Gesundbrunnen, and then come down into the new Hbf from the north. I don't recall any main line Fernbahn connections at Ostkreuz from the line over the river bridge into the east-west Stadtbahn, only the S-Bahn tracks doing so.

Dresden services in DDR days ran from Ostbahnhof (ie the stadtbahn) via Schönefeld, so there must have been connections around Ostkreuz in those days.
There's been a big rebuilding project at Ostkreuz in the last few years, maybe that is still incomplete, causing the northern loop.
There is a reference on the BER web site that more RE services will call at T5 "from 2022", so some more changes must be envisaged.

 

[30907]

Dresden services in DDR days ran from Ostbahnhof (ie the stadtbahn) via Schönefeld, so there must have been connections around Ostkreuz in those days.
There's been a big rebuilding project at Ostkreuz in the last few years, maybe that is still incomplete, causing the northern loop.
There is a reference on the BER web site that more RE services will call at T5 "from 2022", so some more changes must be envisaged.

The route Schönefeld-Stadtbahn isn't via the Ring but from Grünauer Kreuz junctions via B-Karlshorst and past Rummelsburg depot (much more interesting, with views of the Parkeisenbahn and an area of Kleingärten/allotments where many years ago I saw for the first time the Berlin approach to FKK .

Can't see how they can run more REs to BER-T5 though until the Dresdner Bahn reopens (T5 to T1/2 is possible, but only if you arrive at T5 from the West).

(Forum rules on abbreviations etc: Stadtbahn is the east-west route through the centre of Berlin; FKK is Freikörperkultur).

 

[StephenHunter]

Yes, I know what FKK is... there's a whole display on it at the DDR Museum...

There are some Fernbahn services that still use the Stadtbahn; the Berlin-Vienna Nightjet for example.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Quite a contrast to Mainhattan/FrankfurtM which has a busy Fernbahnhof/IC station

 

[Austriantrain]

Dresden services in DDR days ran from Ostbahnhof (ie the stadtbahn) via Schönefeld, so there must have been connections around Ostkreuz in those days.
There's been a big rebuilding project at Ostkreuz in the last few years, maybe that is still incomplete, causing the northern loop.

The reason is much more likely limited capacity on the Stadtbahn which can be put to better use than for a shuttle service.

As already stated, this is an interim solution until the Dresdener Bahn is rebuilt, after which the train will probably run something like Gesundbrunnen - Hauptbahnhof- Südkreuz - BER, meaning that together with the RE-service via the Stadtbahn, most parts of Berlin have a decent service.

EDIT concerning connections at Ostkreuz: The RE service from Dessau obviously reaches the airport from the Stadtbahn, so there must be some kind of connection.