The Swedish architect Alfred Grenander has designed more than seventy underground and elevated station buildings in Berlin. His style evolved from decorative to modernist between 1902 and 1930 [untergrundbahn.de], [berliner-untergrundbahn.de].
Photo: Refurbished entrance building of Wittenbergplatz station, built in 1913 by Alfred Grenander.
The co-financing of the U-Bahn line to Dahlem (called U3 today) by the posh district of Wilmersdorf facilitated a prestigious architecture in some stations.
Photo [Daniel Erler, absence-of-fear.de]: Heidelberger Platz station from 1913 by Wilhelm Leitgebel.
Most of the newer stations in Berlin are by Rainer G. Rümmler. Designs range from 1960s Minimalist style and colourful 1970s Pop Art design to Postmodernism.
Photo [u-bahnbilder.de]: Postmodernist-style Rathaus Spandau station from 1984 by Rainer G. Rümmler.
Try this itinerary, recommended by residents or metro enthusiasts:
The S-Bahn between Alexanderplatz and Savignyplatz provides a good overview of the city. Note Hauptbahnhof station on the way for the modern glass architecture. Walk 500 m south-east through Grolmannstraße to Uhlandstraße station and walk or take line U1 to Wittenbergplatz. Take a look at the restored Historism-style station from ouside and inside, then take line U3 from there to the vaulted Heidelberger Platz station. Continue to Krumme Lanke open-air-station and walk a kilometer south to the spectacular Art Nouveau-style Mexikoplatz S-Bahn station. Take line S1 to Potsdamer Platz. The concourse from 1939 is notable for its interestingly lit columns. Take line U2 to Alexanderplatz for some good examples of architecture by Alfred Grenander and change to line U8 to Herrmannstraße for more examples. For Pop-Art stations by architect Rainer G. Rümmler, take line U7 and watch out between Fehrbelliner Platz and Rohrdamm. For Rümmler's lavish 1980s style, continue to Rathaus Spandau or take line U8 from Franz-Neumann-Platz to Wittenau.
U-Bahn-Museum. An exhibition of signals, signage, ticket machines and other metro-related objects. Historical trains are used on special tours. Since 1999. Location: Abandoned control centre in a metro station. At Olympia-Stadion metro station. Hours (check before visiting): On the second Saturday of each month 10:30 to 16:00. Admission: 2 EUR. Reference: ag-berliner-u-bahn.de (official website). bvg.de.
S-Bahn-Museum. An exhibition of commuter metro-related objects such as signals and signage as well as historical photos and descriptions on display charts. Since 1997. Location: Unused transformer substation. Address: Rudolf-Breitscheid-Straße 203, 14482 Potsdam. At Griebnitzsee (S-Bahn) metro station. Hours (check before visiting): April through November on the second weekend of each month, Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 17:00. Admission: 1.80 EUR. Reference: s-bahn-museum.de (official website).
U-Bahn lines U1 and U2 provide a view of the new remarkable Potsdamer Platz buildings from the stretch between Gleisdreieck and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park stations.
On the elevated Stadtbahn stretch, S-Bahn lines S5, S7, S75 and S9 provide nice views of Berlin's major landmarks
After a train arrives in station: "Zug nach [terminal station]" (meaning "Train to [terminal station]"), a few moments before departure: "Einsteigen, bitte" ("Please board"; mp3 from haltestellenansage.de), departure announcement: "Zurückbleiben, bitte!" ("Please stand back"; mp3 from haltestellenansage.de), all by a pre-recorded female voice) and a buzzing while the doors close, similar to Paris. Next-station announcements are like "[Dong] [name], Übergang zur U-Bahnlinie [line], Ausstieg rechts" ("[Dong] [name], transfer to subway line [line], exit on the right"; mp3 from haltestellenansage.de).
Berlin
Line U8 train departing from Rathaus Reinickendorf station.
Die Bahnhöfe der Berliner Hoch- und Untergrundbahn. Verkehrsdenkmale in Berlin. Petersberg, 2007. A detailed book about 81 metro stations that are preserved historical monuments. (In German)
Gympel, Jan
Tunnel mit Tiefgang: Mit der U-Bahn durch Berlin. Elefanten Press 1993. (In German)
Klünner, Hans-Werner
S- und U-Bahnarchitektur in Berlin. Senator für Bau- und Wohnungswesen Berlin 1985. Exhibition booklet (In German)
Loop, André
untergrundbahn.de A website including photos of all stations. (In German)
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Berlin
S-Bahn (suburban metro)
