BVG | Tram 21: Every ten minutes, maybe in mid-December

To the left of the red house is the new turning track on Blockdammweg. Photo: Nicolas Šustr Every ten minutes with tram 21 from Marktstrasse in Rummelsburg to Blockdammweg in Karlshorst. From December 14th, after several postponements, the increase in frequency on the approximately 3.6 kilometer long section of the tram line, which has been promised for many years, will actually become a reality. At least that's what research in the BVG's online timetable information shows.

On Mondays to Fridays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on line 21, the offer will be doubled compared to the current status.

Whether the long-awaited increase in offers will actually be implemented in time for the timetable change in just over a month does not yet seem to be watertight. »The work on the new intermediate terminus on Blockdammweg is on the home stretch. It will go into operation this year," said the press office of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) in response to a request from "nd". We will “communicate promptly” about the specific details.

»The work on the new intermediate terminus on Blockdammweg is on the home stretch.«

A look at the construction site of the new turning track on Blockdammweg raises doubts about the previously planned commissioning date in mid-December. The tracks and switches for the new track stub are in place. But the retaining wall has not yet been concreted and most of the necessary new overhead line pylons have not yet been installed.

The operation of the southern section of line 21 will be interrupted for three weeks from this Monday; Instead, replacement buses are once again running. According to the BVG, the reason is “work to connect the overhead lines”. But without the appropriate masts, no overhead line can be installed.

There is still a lot to do with the turning track before it can be put into operation. Photo: Nicolas Šustr Originally, this work was supposed to have taken place between October 12th and November 2nd. When asked, the BVG did not give a reason for the route closure being postponed for around a month.

It remains unclear when the plan approval process for the approximately 1.2 kilometer long new line 21 to Ostkreuz will continue, which has been going on for around nine years. “We are currently working on clarifying the final technical questions,” said the BVG in response to a request from “nd”.

The planning approval authority is still waiting for the BVG to respond to objections from those affected, explains the Senate Transport Administration in response to the same request. Several errors in the process resulted in the documents being interpreted multiple times. There is bitter resistance from some residents to the routing of the route through Sonntagstrasse, as well as a dispute that has apparently been unresolved for around eight years about the safe guidance of fire engines in conjunction with the overhead line.

Around a year ago, the old route of line 21 between the Marktstrasse stops in Rummelsburg and Holteistrasse in Friedrichshain was closed for passenger service due to the poor condition of the tracks. They didn't want to invest any more money in the route, which was to be replaced by the new route over the Ostkreuz. Since then the line has been divided into two.

After several years of delays, Grün Berlin finally completed the northeastern forecourt of Ostkreuz train station at the end of October. Around 7,000 square meters of space between the train station and Victoriakiez were paved, a few new trees were also planted and some seating was added.

“This means that a direct and comfortable transfer between the tram and the Ostkreuz train station is now possible,” explains the BVG. You have to walk almost 350 meters between the last stop of Tram 21, Marktstrasse, and the entrance to the S-Bahn.

If the planning approval process for the Ostkreuz tram is actually completed at some point, the paved splendor will have to be torn up again. Because this is exactly where the new tracks for the route that has been planned for over 20 years will run.

The Ostkreuz tram is supposed to run along here: northeastern station forecourt Photo: Nicolas Šustr - Advertisement - --> Without you, the bill won't work. With us, no one has to pay to be informed. Sounds like a bad business model? It is too. But independent journalism and participation for everyone are more important to us than profit. Journalism still costs money: research, printing and all the people who do it. That's why we depend on you. We need 300,000 euros by the end of the year.

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