Deutsche Bahn has announced plans to renovate Berlin’s main station to better accommodate the large flow of travellers passing through every day. Public transport in the city is likely to be heavily disrupted during the renovation period.

Upgrades planned for Berlin central station

Berlin Hauptbahnhof welcomes around 330.000 passengers each day, around 30 percent more than a decade ago. In order to cope with the increased footfall and make sure the station is fit for purpose, Deutsche Bahn has announced that it will soon renovate parts of the multi-storey glass building.

The renovation plans include widening the upper platforms to make space for more passengers and their luggage. “When the passengers are there with their luggage, it is already really cramped”, Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Alexander Kaczmarek told Tagesspiegel.

If all goes to plan, several shafts will be closed to make more room on four tracks for regional and long-distance trains on the upper platforms. According to Tagesspiegel, opening additional platform exits, so that travellers can get up and down to the multi-storey concourse more easily, will allow platforms to be emptied in less time.

Hauptbahnhof architect could shut down renovation plans

Though Deutsche Bahn has announced the plans, there is still the possibility that the renovations could be rejected, stalled or changed by GMP Architekten.

The firm was responsible for designing the station which opened in 2006 and has previously been in conflict with the national rail company when it lowered the station’s glass roof and scrapped plans that would speed up construction and reduce costs. Hauptbahnhof architect Meinhard von Gerkan has since died. 

Whatever refurbishment work is approved, transportation in Berlin will likely be significantly affected, one of the reasons originally given by von Gerkan to oppose the previous renovations. “Nevertheless, the station has a function,” Kaczmarek told Tagesspiegel, “Ultimately, this is a traffic facility and not a work of art.”

Thumb image credit: Michael von Aichberger / Shutterstock.com