Extension of the U5 underground line

Important gap closure in the centre of Berlin: Connection of three new stations to the existing system

2.2
kilometre

The tunnel connects the existing U5 with the U55 and unites the two to form the new U5.

Building in the centre on a difficult site

The line section includes the three underground railway stations “Berliner Rathaus”, “Museumsinsel”, and “Unter den Linden” as well as a track change system and storage sidings. The new construction required additional measures in addition to the special design and technological features of crossing under the existing waterways and approaching existing buildings. Site clearance and traffic and logistics planning during construction.

Site
Berlin, Germany
Building contractor/client
Berlin Transport Authority, project office for new U5 underground line

Planning period

2010–2020

Service areas

Object planning for civil engineering structures, project planning for traffic facilities, structural engineering

Total volume of remodelled space
“Unter den Linden” station: 145,000 m³, “Museumsinsel” station: 70,000 m³, “Berliner Rathaus” station: 75,000 m³, track change system: 20,000 m³
Tunnel length
2.2 km
Outer diameter of tunnel
6.4 m
Completion
2021
  • A particular challenge: the historical buildings, almost all of which have wooden pile foundations
  • In order to ensure individual traffic on Unter den Linden and easy access to the neighbouring buildings, it was necessary to carry out the construction work in several sections
  • The station structures were built using diaphragm wall cover construction with deep-set DSV bases and DSV stiffening grids

“Despite challenging conditions, the new U5 was finished on time and within budget”.

Michael Weizenegger Head of Special-purpose Excavation and Tunnelling in Munich