Berlin outer ring gap closure

The dates shown are legally non-binding forecasts based on the current status. The forecasts are in no way intended to establish any kind of legal claim whatsoever that completion will take place by the specified date and that use will be possible. For these reasons, the information should also not be used to make or prepare business decisions, for example, but not conclusively, with regard to the vehicle equipment or the compatibility between the vehicles and the infrastructure. If you have any questions, particularly regarding technical network access or obtaining binding information, please contact your customer advisor.

Most of the infrastructure projects are still in the planning phase, which means that the information provided on these pages reflects the current planning status and is updated regularly.

The Berlin Outer Ring connects all the routes leading to Berlin and enables rail freight transport to bypass the routes in Berlin that are overloaded with passenger traffic. With a diameter of around 40 km and a length of 125 km, the Berlin Outer Ring has been consistently passable since the 1960s and is the only one of its kind in Europe.

The Berlin Outer Ring is of great importance for European rail freight transport, as it enables connections from Dresden to the Baltic Sea, from Lehrte to Poland or from the North Sea to the Czech Republic. It is therefore also part of the three corridors of the Trans-European Transport Network corridors (TEN-T corridors) North Sea – Baltic, Scandinavian – Mediterranean and Rhine – Danube. Together, these corridors connect northern Europe with south-east Europe.

Due to its importance in the rail network, the Berlin outer ring is to be equipped with the standardised European Train Control System (ETCS) in order to enable Europe-wide interoperability in rail freight transport. While the southern Berlin outer ring from Saarmund to Berlin Eichgestell is already equipped with ETCS as part of the Erkner – Seddin project, the aim of equipping the rest of the ring is to enable continuous ETCS operation. As ETCS is also being installed on the connecting lines to Rostock, Hamburg, Halle/Leipzig, Dresden and the Polish border near Frankfurt/Oder as part of other projects, this gap closure will enable extensive ETCS operation.

As part of the European Deployment Plan (EDP) and the Digitale Schiene Deutschland project, the Berlin outer ring is to be equipped with ETCS Level 2 with signals (ETCS Level 2 mit Signale: ETCS L2mS). This means that the route can continue to be used by vehicles that are not equipped with ETCS once the measure has been implemented. The German train control system "Punktförmige Zugbeeinflussung" (PZB) will also remain in operation for this purpose.

Before the project can be implemented, the interlockings along the route must be ETCS-compatible. This condition is only fulfilled by electronic interlockings (ESTW) and digital interlockings (DSTW), which is why some of the existing interlockings have to be replaced by new ones. Two relay interlockings (RSTW) are currently still in operation. The RSTW in Schönfließ will be replaced by a new Siemens Simis D generation ESTW outdoor system (ESTW-A) as part of the construction of the new ESTW sub-centre (ESTW-UZ) in Birkenwerder. This measure will be realised by a corresponding project. The replacement of the RSTW in Hohen Neuendorf West with an ESTW-A, on the other hand, is the responsibility of this project. The new interlocking will also be integrated into the ESTW-UZ Birkenwerder (Simis D type). Furthermore, all ESTW in the control area of the ESTW-UZ Hennigsdorf must be replaced by a new generation of interlockings, as the Simis C interlockings are not ETCS-capable. In contrast, the control area of the Lichtenberg interlocking control centre with Simis D interlockings is already ETCS-capable.

At the same time, the ETCS equipment can be installed in the control areas of the Lichtenberg and Birkenwerder ESTW control centres, which allows line closures to be bundled. As a result, the ETCS equipment will be commissioned in several stages, which means that temporary ETCS entrances and exits will have to be set up at the interface of these line sections.

The infrastructure required for ETCS commissioning must first be installed. This includes balises, which are attached to the sleepers at regular intervals. In addition, ETCS Radio Block Centres (RBC) must be planned and built, which must be connected to the interlockings via new interfaces. Furthermore, ETCS stop markers must be attached to the existing signalling screens to replace the conventional signals in ETCS operation.

The handling of ETCS entry and exit at the borders of the equipment area has high priority. Numerous lines cross the Berlin outer ring and consequently there are many junctions at which ETCS entry and exit points must be set up. Routes that have already been equipped with ETCS in advance by other projects will be seamlessly connected by cancelling the existing ETCS entry and exit areas. There will also be close co-operation with corresponding ETCS measures that are being implemented at the same time. There are interdependencies with the following projects:

• In Berlin Eichgestell and Saarmund through the Erkner – Seddin project,
• At Falkenhagener Kreuz through the HLK Hamburg – Berlin project,
• In Hohen Neuendorf through the project Route upgrading Rostock – Berlin (SeRoBe).