The Berlin Hauptbahnhofis not only the largest crossing station in Europe, and thus a traffic hub of key significance, it is also an attractive business centre with enormous potential. Some 300,000 travellers and visitors are expected in the station every day, with trains leaving the station in all directions every 90 seconds. The just under four million inhabitants of the Greater Berlin Area and the 13 million tourists who visit Berlin each year are able to use the extensive shopping facilities that are also available outside Germany's strict shop opening hours.

Fully integrated shops, service facilities and catering outlets

This ultra-modern railway station offers commuters, business and private travellers boarding, leaving and changing trains, as well as tourists a well organised and highly efficient traffic infrastructure with an exciting mix of extensive shopping and catering amenities. It is easy to get there by all modes of transport - S-Bahn, bus and tram, and in future by underground, and also by car and bicycle, of course. The eight tracks and four platforms for the North-South Link are located on Level -2, 15 metres below ground, immediately adjacent to the underground station for Line U5, the "Chancellor's line". One level up, on Level -1, and on Levels 0 and 1, there arae numerous stores, catering outlets and service facilities. The top level accommodates an S-Bahn platform and two long-distance train platforms for the east and west-bound trains.

Cross-sectional view of the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof Enlarge image: Cross-sectional view of the new Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Tourist attraction

Panorama lifts, shops, cafés and restaurants, combined with the atmosphere of open, sunlit spaces framed by an extraordinary architectural design, also turn the railway station into a veritable tourist attraction. A short distance from Government buildings, the Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz and the Holocaust Memorial, makes ist one of Berlin's key tourist attractions.