Faster by train to BER: Deutsche Bahn starts construction of airport curve

Today Deutsche Bahn began construction of the new airport curve to BER in Blankenfelde-Mahlow. The groundbreaking ceremony for the 960-meter-long new line was held together with the German Federal government and the States of Berlin and Brandenburg. The airport curve shortens the current route tremendously and will thus enable shuttle services every 15 minutes between Berlin Central Station and the BER Airport station from 2025. The travel time will then be just 20 minutes – eight minutes less than today. The Federal and State governments are investing a total of around 62 million euros in the expansion.

Alexander Kaczmarek, Deutsche Bahn Group Representative for the State of Berlin: “With the start of construction of the airport curve in Mahlow, the fast connection from Berlin’s Central Station to BER is also getting closer. 20 minutes from the city center to BER will be an unrivaled travel time! Along the Dresdner Bahn in Berlin, too, construction progress for this important route cannot be overlooked. And here we see once again that even very long-term land clearances make sense for rail!”

Dr. Joachim Trettin, Deutsche Bahn Group Representative for the State of Brandenburg: “The current groundbreaking ceremony is another important building block on the way toward linking BER Airport to the Capital. The new connecting curve between the Dresdner Bahn and Berlin’s Outer Ring ensures fast access to the airport by rail for our customers.”

Enak Ferlemann, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure: “By train to your flight. The Mahlow Curve as a link between BER Airport and Berlin Central Station on the future route of the Airport Express is another big step for a faster and environmentally friendly rail connection between the most important transport points in the region.”

Ingmar Streese, State Secretary in the Senate Department for the Environment, Transport, and Climate Protection of the State of Berlin: “The new fast connection from Berlin to BER will be an attractive alternative to the car not only for air travelers, but also for commuters in particular. Step by step, the two States, Deutsche Bahn, and the Federal government are improving rail connections throughout the metropolitan region in order to advance the mobility revolution with climate-friendly rail.”

Rainer Genilke, State Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Planning of the State of Brandenburg: “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony is good news for the people of Brandenburg and an important building block for the expansion of the Dresdner Bahn. The new airport curve here in Brandenburg means significantly shorter travel times for travelers and commuters on the route from Berlin Central Station to BER Airport. 960 meters, which in the end means a time savings of 8 minutes. That’s something to be proud of.”

The new airport curve (also called “Mahlow Curve”) is a double-track connection from Berlin’s Outer Ring to the Dresdner Bahn (Berlin Südkreuz – Blankenfelde line). The construction of a crossing structure will be required for the outbound track of the connecting curve. In addition to the construction of new tracks, overhead contact line and signal systems and noise barriers up to five meters high will be erected along the full length of the curve on the side facing residents. For the construction of the underpassed section in the area of the crossing structure, what’s known as a trough must be constructed. For this purpose, it is necessary to install sheet piles to secure the excavation pit so that excavation of the pit can begin after completion of what’s known as a sheet pile box.

More information can also be found at the construction info. portal: https://bauprojekte.deutschebahn.com/p/dresdner-bahn


Your Press Contact
Deutsche Bahn AG
Matthias Waha | Spokesperson Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Head of Berlin Regional Office
Phone: +49 (0) 30 297-58200
Email: presse.b(at)deutschebahn.com