Berlin's Transit Future Just Got Even Brighter

Berlin is committing to a huge investment in its public transit infrastructure. Kiwi-living-in-Berlin author and lawyer Leah Hamilton writes about it.

1 minute read

June 18, 2019, 11:00 AM PDT

By wadams92101


Germany

Sergei Bachlakov / Shutterstock

Berlin will spend $31 billion through 2035 on its public transit system. That’s more than many countries. The biggest changes will happen very fast—by 2023through an expansion of its urban rail network. Studies have shown Germans prefer rail over bus lines. There will be extensions to both the underground (U-bahn) and above ground (S-bahn) light rail lines. As for buses, the system will be converted to mostly electric by 2030. The investment will also ensure that public transit is fully accessible for disabled persons. The major transit authorities involved include Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG).

Previously, Berlin had lagged other German cities in transport infrastructure. However, with a booming economy and growing population, there has been a popular push to fund public transit improvements. Politics, always important when it comes to transit, have also aligned for transit.  Notes Hamilton:

The reason behind these changes is partly due to the presence of the Green Party, SPD, and Die Linke in Berlin’s governing coalition, with all three parties in favour of making Berlin a greener, more accessible city. As part of this effort, political support is soundly behind the improvement of the public transport system as a whole.

For more details and images about what Berlin has planned, please see the source article.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019 in UrbDeZine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Wood-framed multi-family building under construction with red crane behind it.

California Creates Housing-Focused Agency

Previously, the state’s housing and homelessness programs fell under a grabbag department that also regulates the alcohol industry, car mechanics, and horse racing.

7 hours ago - CALmatters

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13 - WTTV

Red and black pavilion with visitor information in public park in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville

Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.

July 13 - Dezeen