Delay until the year 2026 yet to be avoided.
The much-anticipated S15 line, part of the S21 City S-Bahn project in Berlin, continues to face obstacles, with its commissioning delayed due to unresolved issues with certification, acceptance processes, and power supply.
The S21 project, a planned line that aims to create a new North-South connection for the city, consists of three construction phases. The first construction phase, involving the integration of the North Ring from the direction of Westhafen and Wedding to Berlin Hauptbahnhof, is currently underway.
However, the current status of the S15 line remains unchanged. Originally planned for 2017, the opening of the new line has been postponed multiple times, with the latest target date of December 2024 also missed. A new commissioning date is currently being sought.
The delay is due to certification and acceptance processes for important network installations for the City S-Bahn Berlin taking longer than planned. According to Berlin's railway representative, Alexander Kaczmarek, final testing and approval for operationally necessary installations, including for the power supply of the line, are still pending.
The second construction phase, which will connect Hauptbahnhof and Potsdamer Platz, is currently in the planning stage. Part two of the third construction phase will connect the station Yorckstraße (Großgörschenstraße) with the station Südkreuz. The third construction phase is divided into two further parts and is currently in the preliminary planning stage.
Regarding the expected opening date, no specific date has been announced as of mid-2025. The latest major schedules and updates around Berlin S-Bahn improvements focus on other lines and broader infrastructure projects, such as the S-Bahn timetable changes for 2025 and extensive renovation works on the Hamburg–Berlin railway line through 2026, but do not confirm an opening date for the S15 or the S21 City-Bahn lines yet.
Further official announcements from Deutsche Bahn or Berlin transport authorities are expected once these issues are resolved and the line is ready for service. In the meantime, the first section of the North-South connection between Gesundbrunnen and Berlin Hauptbahnhof has been delayed again, with the operation now expected to start in spring 2026.
The S21 project, with its ambitious plans to connect key stations across Berlin, continues to be a significant infrastructure project for the city. However, the ongoing delays in the commissioning of the S15 line serve as a reminder of the challenges that can arise in such complex undertakings.
[1] Source: Berliner Morgenpost, Deutsche Bahn press releases, and Berlin Transport Authority updates.
Despite the ongoing progress with the S21 project, which includes integrating the S-Bahn system into the city's transportation network, the delayed commissioning of the S15 line poses a concern for the overall project. This line, essential for creating a new North-South connection in Berlin's finance and industry sectors, is yet to receive final approval for network installations, including power supply, as mentioned by Alexander Kaczmarek, Berlin's railway representative.
