Opening of Dresdner Bahn

On 13 December 2025, Dresdner Bahn was put into operation. The restoration of the around 16-kilometre-long long-distance railway line between Berlin Südkreuz and Blankenfelde marks an important milestone to unbundle the transport hub Berlin. The new connection reliefs Anhalter Bahn railway and shortens travel times between Berlin and Dresden by around ten minutes. Together with the further upgrade of the line Berlin-Dresden, Dresdner Bahn is part of the trans-European network 7 (TEN 7), passing Prague until the Black Sea.

Investments of 1.2 billion euros provided by the federal government, the states of Berlin and Brandenburg as well as DB AG make Dresdner Bahn more performant and sustainable in view of requirements of a modern short and long-distance transport system. The timetable change brings benefits especially for the Berlin-Brandenburg region with a better connection to BER airport. The newly built connecting bend, the so-called Mahlower bend, connects the airport at 15-minute intervals to Berlin Central Station – with travel times of 20 minutes. Regional transport is also significantly improved: the new station Blankenfelder provides comfortable transit between city rail and regional trains at one combined platform.

Already in 2000 and 2003, SSF Berlin designed the reinforced concrete frame of the railway bridge Prellerweg as well as a crossing structure as part of preliminary projects. In 2022, SSF’s design was completed by both preflex superstructures for railway bridges Atillastrasse and Bahnhofsstrasse, the tied arch for railway bridge Teltowkanal as well as the reinforced concrete frame for railway bridge Berliner Strasse. SSF’s construction supervision team at our Berlin branch also participated at the overall project for the restoration of Dresdner Bahn: News article 5 December 2025.

Because of long periods between construction of the structures and their opening, new analyses were required, especially in view of dynamic effects and potential resonance risks due to newly developed regulations. Those questions were answered as part of the final design. The experts Richard Buba and Andreas Baumhauer were contracted to write assessments of the structures from 2000 and 2003.

Thanks to the committed collaboration of everyone involved all requirements to start operation were met on time. And the opening ceremony of Dresdner Bahn on 13 December 2025 went ahead without delay.