S Bahn

Any update on whether disruption coninues to the sbahn in light of faults found on trains earlier this year?

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Yes. They have found yesterday, new other faults. 550 S-Bahn trains are again out of the pool.

www.s-bahn-berlin.de/pdf/s-bahn_ab080909.pdf

Lines not operated at all are marked thick red.

Use the BVG timetable to check your travel options. And this rather on short notice (a day or so) before you travel.

fahrinfo-berlin.de/Fahrinfo/bin/query.bin/en

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From the BVG.de website....

As a result of technical difficulties as well as extensive special maintenance problems the S-Bahn service in Berlin is only limited.

As of Tuesday, 08.09.2009 - several stretches of the S-Bahn system - including the link to the Schoenefeld Airport and other sections through downtown Berlin are limited or shut down. Because the BVG is very much concerned in helping during this situation we have reinforced the subway (U-Bahn), bus and tram services so that passengers can use these services alternatively. These services are running without any constraint.

Please note: Passengers with destination Schönefeld Airport (SXF) may also use the suburban trains RE7 and RB14; the U-Bahn U7 until U Rudow and continue the journey with the bus X7 or 171. You may also use the Expressbus SXF1 between S Südkreuz Bhf and the Schönefeld Airport

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On Monday night Deutsche Bahn announced it was recalling 75 percent of the S-Bahn trains in Berlin due to testing for a new problem: possibly faulty braking systems. That means shut down lines and heavily reduced service on the lines still running.

The main artery Alexanderplatz - Friedrichstrasse - Hauptbahnhof - Bahnhof Zoo - Westkreuz - Spandau is now out of service.

Also the line from Westkreuz to Nikolassee that many people use to get to Potsdam is shut down.

On the remaining lines, there may be lengthy waits and overfilled trains.

This situation is expected to continue well into the winter months.

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Alternatives for Berlin visitors :

From Schoenefeld (SXF) airport to the city - as mentioned above, use the regional trains, or if more appropriate, the new SXF bus line (which is a bit more expensive). For the regionals, no need to buy extension for an existing AB ticket, according to the S Bahn website

To Potsdam from city centre - use the regional (RE, RB) trains; to Wannsee you can also use the S1 line (stops at Potsdamer Platz, Friedrichstrasse, etc.).

From the Zoo area to Mitte and vice versa - use buses 100/200 or the underground line U2

To Spnadau from city centre - use the U7 underground line or the regional trains

Das ist doch ein Skandal!...

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According to the Berlin Transit Corporation (BVG) website, here are the S-Bahn lines that ARE operating:

S1 Potsdam Central Station (Hbf) %26lt;%26gt; Oranienburg

S2 Bernau %26lt;%26gt; Blankenfelde

S25 Teltow Town %26lt;%26gt; Yorckstraße as well as Schönholz %26lt;%26gt; Hennigsdorf

S3 - Erkner %26lt;%26gt; Ostbahnhof

S41 Ring (clockwise)

S42 Ring (counter-clockwise)

S46 Königs Wusterhausen %26lt;%26gt; Hermannstrasse

S5 Strausberg %26lt;%26gt; Alexanderplatz (busses to cover Strausberg %26lt;%26gt; Strausberg North)

S7 Ahrensfelde %26lt;%26gt; Alexanderplatz

S8 Hohen Neuendorf %26lt;%26gt; Blankenburg

S9 Flughafen Berlin-Schönefeld (airport) %26lt;%26gt; Treptower Park

S45, S47, S75 and S85 are NOT running.

The BVG is beefing up its U-Bahn (subway/underground) lines and putting on extra buses to cover some of the gaps in service. Some Deutsche Bahn regional trains ply the Stadtbahn, the main trestle through the city centre ie Alexanderplatz to Zoo station, but service is not as frequent as with the S-Bahn. Normal Berlin transit tickets are also valid on the DB trains.

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bump

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%26gt; This situation is expected to continue well into the winter months. %26lt;

Is there any news when the works might be completed and the issues resolved?

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The latest news, in Focus news magazine, quoting %26quot;insiders,%26quot; is that the Berlin S-Bahn will not be getting back to fully normal operation until March 2010.

They have to change some 4800 brake cylinders in 300 S-Bahn trains.

I think they might begin to restore service on the main %26quot;Stadtbahn%26quot; artery as soon as they have sufficient rolling stock. But for the moment, it seems they%26#39;re concentrating on maintaining some service in the more outlying areas where there aren%26#39;t as many alternative transportation links.

I took a train on the Ring yesterday, counter-clockwise from Schönhauser Allee to Heideberger Platz in Wilmersdorf. Usually these trains come every few minutes, but I had to wait almost 20 minutes. And when the train came it was packed. But at least there WAS a train.

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Thanks. I won%26#39;t be coming until the summer so hopefully it%26#39;ll all be mended by then.

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bump