Tram service resumes following demolition of Wuhlheide Bridge.
Trams Resume Service at Wuhlheide Bridge Following Inspection
Trams have resumed service on the route at Wuhlheide Bridge in Berlin, as announced by the Berlin Transport Authority (BVG). The transport authority confirmed that the first trams rolled again on early Thursday morning.
Initially, a shuttle service of line M17 will be established to run every 10 minutes between Blockdammweg and S-Bahnhof Schoeneweide. Despite the shuttle service, detours for other tram lines remain in effect.
While the start of service went smoothly, the replacement bus service will be discontinued from Saturday. All lines in the area are expected to return to normal operations by Saturday as well, assuming all information systems, duties, and timetables have been suitably adapted to ensure stable operation.
Before traffic resumed in the morning, inspectors had to thoroughly assess the tracks, rebuild, and reconnect the overhead lines. According to the Senate Department for Transport, pedestrians and cyclists should now be able to use the Treskowallee on Edisonstraße again, albeit with temporary safety measures at the intersection until a traffic light system can be installed.
The tram route at Wuhlheide Bridge was closed due to the unsafe state of the bridge, which has been plagued with increasing cracks along its entire length. The bridge was demolished on Saturday, leading to significant traffic disruptions on both road and rail.
It may take some time for cars to pass the site again, with initial relief for car traffic only expected by June 6, 2025, pending construction progress and current weather conditions. The entire construction site for the demolition of the bridge is scheduled to be completed by June 27 at the latest.
In a phased plan to restore normal traffic flow, test runs will be conducted overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, followed by the establishment of a shuttle service before full operations can resume. Visitors can check the official BVG website for the latest updates on traffic and service disruptions, including trams, U-Bahn, bus, and ferry services.
As the traffic at Wuhlheide Bridge resumes, the public-transit sector, specifically the tram line M17, will provide a shuttle service every 10 minutes from Blockdammweg to S-Bahnhof Schoeneweide. By Saturday, this shuttle service will be discontinued, and the finance industry might experience an increase in demand for alternative transportation means, such as taxi services or private vehicles, as other tram lines still have detours in place and the overall traffic may not return to normal until after the completion of the construction project in June 2025.
