Berlin, October 19th, 2026 (The Berlin Spectator) – Hermannplatz subway station in Neukölln can feel like an anthill during busy hours. Two lines run on two levels, each with its own exits to the street, and underground passages lead directly into the Karstadt department store. That complexity is part of the problem.
Passengers who want to reach the U8 platforms from Hermannplatz currently have just one entrance to use. At the second, the staircase and the entrance portal are being restored, and it has been closed for six years.
At the far end of the platforms, hardly anyone is around on a weekday morning in October. A few travelers overlook the sign reading “Kein Ausgang” (“No Exit”) and look for a way out anyway. Where a staircase should lead up to daylight, there is only a flower shop, which would have far more customers if the exit was finally open, and a BVG ticket store.
No Disruptions
The reopening has been announced several times and then postponed again. According to BVG, completion is now expected on December 4th.
BVG spokesman Nils Kremmin listed several reasons for the delays. Some of the work can only be done during the nightly breaks in service, so that trains are not disrupted. In addition, building on old structures often brings unexpected findings. On the RBB, Kremmin stated: “Working on existing structures is like going to the dentist: You tear down a wall and there is a lot more behind it than you first thought, especially when they are 100 years old”, he said.
Another challenge is that the work has to respect the station’s status as a protected landmark. “Restoring something in keeping with preservation rules means it has to look the way it did before. We love our stations, but that leads to delays”, Kremmin told the radio and TV broadcaster.
If all goes according to plan, passengers will again be able to reach the U8 from Hermannplatz through two entrances in December.
