A big birthday for the Berlin S-Bahn: August 8th marks the 100th anniversary of the first scheduled journey of an electric S-Bahn in Berlin. To mark this special anniversary, the Berlin S-Bahn is sending a very special vehicle onto the tracks: a train from the 481 series, completely covered in ten different vehicle designs from the past 100 years, will initially be running on the S2 line from Thursday.
For 100 years, the S-Bahn has connected communities and cities in the surrounding area with Berlin’s city center. The 340-kilometer-long network with the north-south and east-west lines as well as the ring line that encircles the city center is unique in the world. With 1.5 million passengers per working day, the Berlin S-Bahn shows what a strong rail system can achieve: every working day, it offers around 3,300 trips on 16 lines. One in three passengers in the entire DB Regio local rail service travels on a Berlin S-Bahn.
“If the S-Bahn didn’t already exist, we would have to invent it. No other means of transport can move so many people between the city and the surrounding area in an environmentally friendly way and takes up so little space. But the Berlin S-Bahn is more than just a means of transport. For 100 years it has accompanied and shaped the history of the capital and has itself become a Berlin icon. Happy 100th birthday, S-Bahn Berlin,” said Peter Buchner, Managing Director of S-Bahn Berlin GmbH.
“When the first S-Bahn line went into regular operation 100 years ago on the route from the Stettin suburban station, today’s Nordbahnhof, to Bernau, this was without question a formative contribution to the successful development of Berlin into a metropolis. Today, we are again facing major challenges, as we have the major goal of making our city climate-neutral by 2045 at the latest. My warmest congratulations to the S-Bahn and all its great, committed employees on their 100th birthday and a big thank you, certainly also on behalf of the many passengers, for their daily commitment to our mobility in Berlin,” said Ute Bonde, Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment.
“100 years of the S-Bahn – that is a reason to celebrate. On August 8, 1924, the first S-Bahn of the ‘Bernau’ type traveled from what is now Berlin’s North Station to Bernau. That is why celebrations are also taking place at these locations 100 years later, to which all visitors are cordially invited. The S-Bahn is more than just a witness to the eventful history of the states of Brandenburg and Berlin. It was, is and will continue to be the backbone of local transport in the capital region. This is also demonstrated by our investments in the S-Bahn and our expansion plans. With the i2030 infrastructure project, we not only want to prepare the extension of the S25 to Stahnsdorf and Falkensee, but also the 10-minute frequency to Bernau, Oranienburg, Strausberg and Hennigsdorf. The S-Bahn has been part of people’s lives for 100 years. This also makes it an emotionally connecting means of transport that cannot only be measured in numbers and facts,” added Rainer Genilke, Infrastructure Minister of the State of Brandenburg.
“100 years ago, visionary decision-makers opted for the S-Bahn system – fast, environmentally friendly and an integral part of Berlin and Brandenburg ever since – and thus set a milestone in transport policy. The S-Bahn serves as an example for us to continue to move forward courageously over the next 100 years and to shape the S-Bahn of the future with the i2030 infrastructure project,” said Martin Fuchs, Managing Director of the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association.
The decorated anniversary train
The class 481 train bridges the gap between 1926 and the present day. In the 1926 “Oranienburg” model, the carriages were still painted red and yellow to distinguish between the 2nd and 3rd class carriages that were common at the time.
With the “Stadtbahn” model, the two-tone paintwork with the red stripe at the bottom that is typical today was introduced in 1928. The upper part of these trains was painted ochre yellow in the 3rd class carriages and dark turquoise in the 2nd class.
The so-called “East Berlin capital paint” with which the 276 series was running from 1984 in light beige and burgundy red can also be seen, as well as the silver-grey-blue paintwork of the prototype of the 480 series from 1986. Last but not least, the anniversary train wears the red dress with dark grey window band, to which the 485 series owes its nickname “Coke can”.
More photos of the anniversary train as well as interesting facts and historical photos from 100 years of the Berlin S-Bahn can be found at www.deutschebahn.com/sbahn100 and at sbahn.berlin/100
Share on:
