Trains | Berlin, Germany

The S-Bahn and Berlin. More of a love-hate relationship than anything else. You need the S-Bahn just to get from A to B, but whenever possible you rather take the subway.

Even the design of the trains of the S-Bahn (overground) is not slightly as appealing as the characteristic orange of the Berliner U-Bahn trains (underground). It’s no surprise then that the S-Bahn didn’t find too many friends among the photographers? Well, I thought to myself, it’s time to change that. And if one metro scene is really typical for Berlin, then it’s the trains meandering through the city centre. Just as you can see them in this image; approaching the centre from the eastern part of the city.

The S-Bahn is operated by the Deutsche Bahn, the German national railway company. It consists of 15 lines, covering a distance of over 330 kilometres, with more than 160 stations. The trains are electric, and run on a third rail, with overhead wires used only in some places.

One of the interesting facts about the S-Bahn in Berlin is that it played an important role in the Cold War, as it connected West Berlin with West Germany. During the division of Berlin, the S-Bahn was separated into two parts, one under the control of the East German government and the other under the control of the West German government.

Today, the S-Bahn is a vital part of the city’s transportation infrastructure, connecting many of Berlin’s important landmarks and tourist destinations, such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and the Friedrichstraße shopping district. It is also a way to get to and from the city’s airports.