Berlin’s transport authority, the BVG, has set a new timeline for one of its largest infrastructure projects in recent years, the renewal of the northern section of subway line U6. Trains are scheduled to return to the rebuilt stretch in August of 2027.
The project began as a targeted repair of individual structures but grew into a comprehensive overhaul as work progressed. Only after bridges, stations and the embankment were exposed did the true condition of parts of the roughly 70-year-old infrastructure become clear. The BVG decided to address all additional damage found during the ongoing construction work, aiming to put the U6 on a stable, high-performance footing for the long term. The added work required replanning and additional time.
According to the BVG, the harsh winter earlier this year also affected the construction schedule. A weather-related interruption lasting several weeks could not simply be made up later. In a project this complex, the work of numerous trades had to mesh together, and many steps could only begin once others are finished, a statement said. Even short interruptions could significantly affect the overall schedule, since construction firms and specialized equipment needed to be booked well in advance.
Restructured Schedule
The BVG has now restructured the entire construction schedule together with all companies and planners involved. The core construction work itself is now in its final stretch. Most of the route has already been rebuilt, and work on the stations is largely complete. In the coming months, crews will lay power and signal cables, install control and safety technology, and finish laying the remaining track. Test runs will follow after that.
Several tram lines in central Berlin will be affected by extensive track and switch work over the coming weeks, with Tram Line M1 hit hardest. Starting Saturday, M1 trains will run on a shortened route. Coming from the north, the M1 will turn west at the corner of Schönhauser Allee and Bornholmer Strasse and terminate at Björnsonstrasse. The disruption is expected to last until September 7th.
Replacement bus service will only cover part of the route. Buses will run between Schönhauser Allee/Bornholmer Strasse, via the Eberswalder Strasse subway station, to the Senefelder Platz subway station, then loop back to the starting point via Zionskirchplatz.
Alternative Route
To cover the southern portion of the M1 route, Line M6 will be extended during the day from Hackescher Markt to Am Kupfergraben. At night, replacement buses are planned between Am Kupfergraben and Alexanderplatz. Berlin’s transport authority, the BVG, is recommending that passengers use subway Line U2 as an alternative route.
Tram Line 12 will also be rerouted until early September, between the Nordbahnhof commuter rail station and the Prenzlauer Allee/Ostseestrasse intersection. The detour runs via the Bernauer Strasse and Eberswalder Strasse subway stations to the corner of Prenzlauer Allee and Danziger Strasse, then north along Prenzlauer Allee back to the regular route.
According to the BVG, the disruptions are the result of extensive track and switch renewal work. About 1.4 kilometers of track and two switches are being replaced along Kastanienallee, Zionskirchstrasse and Veteranenstrasse. Track work is also planned on Rosenthaler Strasse at the same time, though no replacement bus service will be provided there during construction.
S-Bahn Renovation
The M1 connects Pankow and Prenzlauer Berg with central Berlin, running from Am Kupfergraben near Museum Island through Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg up to Niederschönhausen. It is one of eight round-the-clock “M lines” that form the backbone of the city’s roughly 200-kilometer tram network, running at ten-minute intervals throughout the day.
The line has faced calls for cuts before. Back in the 1990s, Berlin’s Senate transport administration debated dropping the Schönhauser Allee stretch altogether, since a parallel subway line covers much of the same ground.
In the meantime, Deutsche Bahn is renovating its S-Bahn train network. The renovation efforts are causing disruptions there as well.
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