26 March 1993

The architects are chosen. In September 1992, Deutsche Reichsbahn commissions Prof. Kleihues and Meinhard von Gerkan to conduct project studies. The architects' office Gerkan, Marg & Partner are awarded the contract.

12 September 1995

The plan for the North-South Link is officially approved. On 15 July 1992, the decision is taken in the German Federal Cabinet in favour of the mushroom concept with the north-south long-distance railway line passing through what is today Berlin Hauptbahnhof. In autumn 1993, the joint project approval procedure is initiated for the transport facilities in the central area (B 96 road tunnel, underground railway line U 5, long-distance tunnel). Construction officially commences on 13 October 1995.

1 April 1996

Tenders to begin excavation work on the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Lehrter Bahnhof - are awarded to construction firms.

9 September 1998

The foundation stone of the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof is laid in the presence of Matthias Wissmann, German Federal Minister of Transport, Eberhard Diepgen, Berlin's Governing Mayor, and Dr. Johannes Ludewig, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Deutsche Bahn.

9 September 1999

Completion of the Humboldthafen Bridge. The approximately 240-metre long bridge structures will support the east-west Stadtbahn line (section through the City) and span the Humboldthafen.

1 February 2000

Erection of the eight central steel supports (forked supports) spanning five storeys for the east-west line.

5 February 2000

The incremental launching method for the construction of the north-east railway bridge begins in the northernmost section of the North-South Link. One by one, each of a total of 16 concrete bridge segments, referred to as increments, are cast in situ on a launching machine near the Tegeler Straße abutment and then pushed forward.

15 June 2000

Completion of the first part of the subterranean station hall in the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof. The hall ceiling, which reaches to a height of 15 metres, is borne by 45 composite steel supports. The 140-metre long and up to 150-metre wide building section, in addition to the station hall, also comprises the adjacent shells of the B 96 road tunnel and the underground railway.

10 January 2001

Groundwater is pumped out of the northern excavation pit. This site is excavated using watertight troughs constructed of diaphragm walls and an underwater concrete base slab. After construction of the 1.5-metre thick base slab using underwater concrete at the beginning of December 2000, it is possible to remove the groundwater. A total of 200,000 cubic metres of water are pumped out of the pit.

16 March 2001

The last gap in the north-east railway bridge is closed above the Perleberger Bridge. The north-east railway bridge allows trains to leave the subterranean section of Hauptbahnhof (North-South Link) in the direction of Gesundbrunnen.

25 April 2001

The shell of the first section of the east-west bridge is completed.

7 May 2001

The first truss for the east-west roof arrives on the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof construction site.

29 August 2001

The east-west line is now complete. The casting of the last bridge segment marks the completion of the bridge section for the east-west line.

1 February 2002

Topping-out ceremony for the first roof trusses in the presence of Klaus Wowereit, Berlin's Governing Mayor, and Hartmut Mehdorn, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of Deutsche Bahn.

16 June 2002

Redirecting the Stadtbahn line onto the new bridges of Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

4 July 2002

The first S-Bahn train stops at one of the new platforms in the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Lehrter Bahnhof.

25 July 2002

Dismantling of the old Lehrter Stadtbahnhof begins. The largest and heaviest bridge section is removed. The railway bridge that crossed the former passenger station is 31.30 metres long and weighs 870 tons.

9 September 2002

Lehrter Bahnhof is renamed Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Lehrter Bahnhof.

1 October 2002

Excavation work on the last site of the new Hauptbahnhof begins, and the first of 66 profiled steel piles for the western wall of the excavation pit is vibrated into the ground.

11 November 2002

Demolition of the old Humboldthafen Bridge begins. The first of 20 bridge beam supporting structures, each weighing 85 tons, is removed.

26 March 2003

Excavation work begins on the last site.

19 June 2003

The first base slab for the B 96 road tunnel is cast in pit B.

1 November 2003

Construction work to upgrade the first platform in Berlin Hauptbahnhof (S-Bahn platform on the Stadtbahn line) gets underway.

27 November 2003

The first side of the S-Bahn platform is completed with a covering of natural stone. Two days later, the final tunnel ceiling section for the B 96 road tunnel is cast in concrete.

2 December 2003

Concreting work for the underwater base slab in pit B east begins. In Februar 2004, the last excavation site of Berlin Hauptbahnhof is drained.

28 May 2004

The last diaphragm wall with a length of 150 metres, a depth of 25 metres and a width of 1.5 metres is completely demolished.

June 2004

Displaying DB logos, the exhaust stack for the car park decks and the road tunnel is completed. In the subterranean station, work now begins on the mass-spring system and the ballastless track.

July 2004

The "ARGE Ausbau" installation consortium sets to work. Installation of the technical services for facilities, in particular heating, ventilation, refrigeration and water, begins.

August 2004

The first track is laid in the norther area of the subterranean section of the station. The three platforms on the Stadtbahn line, the east-west line, are completely covered with natural stone.

September 2004

The first of 54 electric escalators are installed. Installation of the noise-reducing flat ceiling in the northern part of the subterranean station begins.

November 2004

Beginning of construction for the gantry-style builiding. First of all, the concrete cores of the four gantry supports are erected up to a height of 48 metres.

10 May 2005

Presentation of the regional transport network. The Land of Brandenburg and the Berlin-Brandenburg transport association present the regional transport network for the Berlin region as of 28 May 2006 (opening of the north-south link).

June 2005

Completion of the track construction work. Last track in the north-south tunnel has been laid. The track construction work is complete.

6 July 2005

Presentation of the long-distance transport concept. Deutsche Bahn presents the long-distance transport concept after entry into service of the north-south tunnel as of 28 May 2006.

29 July 2005

Lowering into position of the first gantry bridge. At 22:00 h, the rail section through the City (the "Stadtbahn") is closed completely in order to lower the first - the western - gantry bridge into position. Already in the evening, the two bridge parts - each weighing 1,250 tonnes and 43 metres long - are positioned at an inclination of 9 degrees in order to assemble the lowering equipment. In spite of a heavy thunderstorm during the whole night, the two parts of the gantry bridge are in position over the station roof at 19:25 h on Saturday.

13 August 2005

Lowering into position of the second gantry bridge. Also the second - eastern - gantry bridge has been lowered into position at 13:00 h. The halves of the bridges are then welded together. The steel construction, the concrete cores and the concrete floors in the gantry buildings can now be completed.

20./21 August 2005

First roof segment for north-south roof. The first roof segment for the glass north-south roof is hauled into position. The segment is 26 metres long, weighs 226 and, hauled by cables, slides 41 metres on a teflon guideway over the tracks of the Berlin Stadtbahn.

14-17 November 2005

Last roof segment for the north-south roof. The third and last segment of the north-south roof is inserted into position. The gap between the gantry buildings in the east-west roof has now been closed.

November 2005

Escalators installed. The installation of the 54 escalators in the station is completed.

February 2006

Retail premises rented. All 80 retail premises have been rented. First-rate lessees from Germany and abroad - both regional retailers as well as supraregional traders and branch store operators will open their businesses from 08:00 h to 22:00 h seven days a week. Renting already started at the end of 2004 with the presentation of Berlin Central Station at the Expo Real trade fair. There was a strong demand both from German and foreign companies. In addition, railway customers will find everything in the station that belongs to a pleasant journey - from two TravelCentres to lounges in which waiting can be shortened in agreeable surroundings.

2 February 2006

Electrification of the north-south link. The entire line of the north-south link is now provided with power. The overhead line on the four-track, nine-kilometre line is switched to live.

6 February 2006

Beginning of the approval of the railway installations. The measuring and test runs for the approval of the railway installations begin.

End of February 2006

Removal of the scaffolding. The scaffolding on the glass facades of the station concourse bearing the name "Berlin Hauptbahnhof" ("Berlin Central Station") are removed.

4 March 2006

First passage of an ICE through the station. For test purposes, an ICE travels through the north-south tunnel of the new Central Station for the first time.

26 May 2006

Opening of Berlin Central Station with many prominent guests and a huge party.