Berlin S-Bahn has switched its S46 line (Königs Wusterhausen – Westend) to its new class 483/484 vehicles ahead of schedule.
These were designed and built by Stadler Germany and Siemens Mobility, in partnership with Deutsche Bahn (DB).
Fourteen four-car units trains began operating on the S46 on the morning of 27 June, just shy of a week before the planned launch date of 1 July.
The S46 line joins the S47 (Spindlersfeld – Hermannstraße) and S45 (BER – Südkreuz) lines in upgrading to these new vehicles from the 485 series, which is roughly 30 years old.
A total of 118 483/484 cars, in the form of two or four-car units, are now in daily use across Berlin’s S-Bahn.
“We're delighted to be able to offer Berlin more modern, reliable and comfortable mobility services. Especially in the summer months, the comfort of an air conditioner in the new S-Bahn is noticeable.
“The cooperation between the manufacturer consortium and Berlin S-Bahn is very good, and a new train leaves the Pankow plant every week.”
To ensure they look their best, a new XXL car wash has been specially built in the Grünau plant.
This system is in operation around the clock and each vehicle is cleaned a minimum of every two weeks. At 160 metres in length, it can wash an eight-car train in one sitting, taking just 28 minutes for a normal wash and 46 minutes for an intensive wash.
The next step in this project is the commissioning of new vehicles on the S8 (Wildau – Birkenwerder) line. This is scheduled for this 14 October.
Delivery of all units will be completed by the end of 2023, increasing the passenger capacity of the S-Bahn fleet by up to 25,000.
