Berlin Plans Massive Investment in Rail

Berlin’s Transit Master Plan maps out an expansion to the city’s already extensive transit system. "Berlin is committing a remarkable €28.1 billion, or just under $32 billion, to transportation projects," Feargus O’Sullivan reports for CityLab. The plan will not only replace and upgrade equipment and facilities it will also expand the service. "The headline item from the masterplan is a massive expansion of the city’s streetcar network," O'Sullivan writes. If the plan is completed it will have 28% more tram lines than it has today by 2035. "When complete, Berlin’s tram lines placed end to end would be enough to cover the distance between Houston and Austin," O'Sullivan reports.

The plan also includes improvements to the city’s heavy rail S-Bahn and U-Bahn services and every bus in the city will be electric by 2030.