Operational Usage
The upper level of the station has six tracks (two of which used for the Berlin S-Bahn) served by three island platforms. The lower level has eight tracks served by four island platforms for main-line trains, plus a further island platform for the Berlin U-Bahn. There is no rail connection between the upper and lower level track in the station area (or anywhere else nearby). 1,800 trains call at the station per day and the daily number of passengers is estimated to be at 350,000.
As of 2011, the station is used by InterCityExpress, Intercity, Interregionalexpress, RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and S-Bahn trains. The station also hosts several international trains, and the most distant cities reached are Novosibirsk (Russia) and Astana (Kazakhstan), with an express named "Sibirjak". The upper part of the station, with the east-west tracks, is part of the Berlin Stadtbahn, with trains leading to locations like Hanover or Cologne. The subterranean station, which lies in the north-south Tiergarten tunnel, offers long distance services to Hamburg, Leipzig or Munich.
The U-Bahn platforms are presently served only by the U55, which is not connected to the rest of the U-Bahn network. This line is operated as a single-track shuttle, and only one of the two platform tracks is currently used. The other is behind a metal fence, mounted in the ground. Construction of a 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) connection to line U5 commenced in April 2010 and is expected to be completed in 2017.
Read more about this topic: Berlin Central Station
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