“Without reason” – 100 billion euros for the expansion of the Berlin subway?

An internal concept of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) was published on Sunday, in which the BVG proposed a massive expansion of the subway network to twice the length of the route. This was first reported by the morning post.

The traffic scientist Andreas Knie from the Technical University of Berlin warns according to the rbb before a cost explosion:

“The costs for this can hardly be quantified, we are definitely in the range of around 100 billion euros. […] Aside from the immense cost, there are better ways to connect the outskirts with downtown. A subway expansion of this magnitude is beyond reason.”

From Stralauer Tor to Potsdamer Platz – the Berlin subway started 120 years ago

In the capital there are only a few subway extensions that appear important, Knie added, such as an extension of the U8 line from the current Wittenau terminus in Reinickendorf to the Märkisches Viertel. “This is a large and dense residential area, this connection would be worthwhile.”

A concrete plan for the implementation of the concept does not yet exist. The Berlin SPD and CDU commented on the request of the rbb not to the internal BVG paper and referred to the ongoing coalition negotiations. However, the concept would definitely correspond to the plans of Red-Green-Red, which include the expansion of public transport and the banning of cars from the city center. The BVG is also walling because it has so far been an internal paper.

In addition, there is already a massive shortage of staff at the company, which – similar to the high rate of delays and failures in public transport in the capital – is likely to increase significantly if the subway network is doubled.

more on the subject – No light at the end of the tunnel: Berlin and the U2 subway line