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This is what the new route looks like.
The brown line U55 originally only had three stations, now the yellow line U5 connects and runs from the main station via the Brandenburg Gate along the street Unter den Linden to Alexanderplatz.
Since the “Museum Island” station will not open until summer 2021, the subway will pass through here without stopping.
Photo: BVG Berlin
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The Red City Hall from above: The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) opened a new section of the U5 line in Berlin's historic center on Friday.
The gap between the Brandenburg Gate and Alexanderplatz will be closed by a tunnel 2.2 kilometers in length.
Photo: spreephoto.de / Moment / Getty Images
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And now it's going underground - to the new “Rotes Rathaus” underground station: The first regular trains on line 5 ran into the two tunnels at noon.
"This is a great day for Berlin and a day to be proud of," said Governing Mayor Michael Müller at the opening.
The new line is "a great offer".
Photo: Paul Zinken / dpa
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On the one hand, the new underground stations - »Rotes Rathaus«, »Museumsinsel« and »Unter den Linden« - will close a gap between the Brandenburg Gate and Alexanderplatz.
On the other hand, the route should also enjoy great popularity with tourists: It leads past many sights and cultural sites - some of them will be easier to reach by public transport in the future, such as the Berlin Cathedral.
Photo: Moment / Getty Images
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But for that you need a little patience: The "Museum Island" station is not yet ready, it should open in summer 2021 - so it will be a while before you can admire the glittering starry sky and the platform in the style of a classicist columned hall the drawings promise.
After all: Then it will be only a few steps from the subway to the Pergamon Museum, Bode Museum and the James-Simon-Galerie designed by British architect David Chipperfield (photo).
It has been open to the public since 2019 and serves as a visitor center on Berlin's Museum Island.
Photo: Busà Photography / Getty Images
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The boulevard Unter den Linden now also has its own entry on the BVG subway map - again, you have to say.
Until 2009, today's S-Bahn and U-Bahn station “Brandenburger Tor” bore this name.
In that year, Berlin's then incumbent mayor, Klaus Wowereit, opened three train stations 13 years after construction began.
A project that was slow and controversial.
The more than 300 million euro stations between the main train station and the Brandenburg Gate - also known as the U55 stub - are considered to be the shortest underground line in Berlin and have been criticized for their limited use.
Photo: Santiago Urquijo / Getty Images
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The construction of the other planned train stations was initially stopped by the red-green Senate in 2001, but resumed later after a complaint from the Federal Audit Office.
After all, two out of three of these stations have now opened.
This is what the entrance to the new Unter den Linden underground station looks like, where the U5 and U6 trains cross.
Photo: Christophe Gateau / picture alliance / dpa
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Unter den Linden underground station: On weekdays outside of rush hour traffic, the trains on line U5 run every five minutes during the day; during rush hour the interval is a few seconds shorter.
The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe put the project costs for the 2.2 kilometer long new line at up to 540 million euros.
Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa
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The German Historical Museum, one of the most popular museums in Berlin, is located on Unter den Linden.
7,000 historical exhibits tell of significant moments from the Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century - a piece of the Berlin Wall can of course also be seen.
Photo: David von Becker / German Historical Museum
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“Unter den Linden” will probably also be the new stop for many who want to visit the State Opera again after the forced Corona break and use local public transport.
Photo: Marcus Ebener / Staatsoper Unter den Linden
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The beginning of one means the end for the other station: the "Französische Straße" station is closed, it is very close to the new "Unter den Linden" station.
Photo: Christian Spicker / imago images / Christian Spicker
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Another new feature is the “Rotes Rathaus” underground station: If you want to stop by the mayor's seat, you have to get off here.
Photo: Paul Zinken / dpa
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And this is how it looks from the inside, the station at the Rotes Rathaus.
According to information from the city's internet portal berlin.de, commissioning was actually planned for 2017.
The sandy and wet building site in Berlin-Mitte had "repeatedly caused difficulties".
Photo: Sean Gallup / Getty Images
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The U5 runs right through the government district.
Angela Merkel sent congratulations via video message.
Berlin was "moving a little closer together today," said the Chancellor.
"Many Berliners have been waiting for it." The new offer is also "very attractive" for tourists.
Photo: fhm / Moment / Getty Images
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Facades of houses in the Nikolaiviertel: The U5 now has a total length of 22 kilometers.
The new tunnel, dug since 2012 with the 700-ton tunnel boring machine »Bärlinde«, connects the previous line U55 with the U5 to Hönow in the east of Berlin.
However, Berliners have been waiting for the U5 to be completed for well longer than nine years: the first cut of the spade for the planned connection between East and West was made by then Chancellor Helmut Kohl in 1995 - 25 years ago.
Photo: Nellmac / iStockphoto / Getty Images
