Berlin's S-Bahn Modernization Nearly Complete, But New Trains Delayed Until 2031
Berlin's S-Bahn modernization is nearing completion, with the last of the series 481 trains expected back in service by mid-2026. However, new movies are delayed until at least 2031 due to tender issues.
The modernization program has transformed the series 481 trains to resemble the newer series 483/484, which entered service in 2021. This refurbishment, necessary to extend the vehicles' lifespan, is part of a broader plan to ensure over 90% of the S-Bahn fleet is news or modernized by the program's end.
Alexander Kaczmarek, Deutsche Bahn's authorized representative for Berlin and Brandenburg, recently addressed the replacement issues related to wiring in Berlin's S-Bahn. He highlighted that cable problems in the vehicles have caused operational disruptions and that the resolution will take until the late 2020s. Nearly 1,000 carriages have been refurbished and reassembled since late 2019 to tackle these issues.
While the modernization of Berlin's S-Bahn fleet is almost complete, with the last series 481 train returning by mid-2026, the infrastructure's wiring problems persist. New movies are not expected until 2031 or later due to delays in the large-scale S-Bahn tender, leaving the city's public transport system to rely on modernized vintage trains for the foreseeable future.
