S3 (Berlin)

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title: "S3 (Berlin)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["berlin-s-bahn-lines"] description: "S-Bahn line in Berlin" topic_path: "general/berlin-s-bahn-lines" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S3_(Berlin)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary S-Bahn line in Berlin ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox rail line"]

Field	Value
name
image	S3 nach Friedrichshagen im Bahnhof Alexanderplatz.jpg
system	Berlin S-Bahn
locale	Berlin
planopen
open
yearcommenced
yearcompleted
close
operator	S-Bahn Berlin GmbH
stock	DBAG Class 481

| | electrification | 750 V DC Third rail | | map | | | map_state | uncollapsed | ::

| box_width = | name = | other_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | color = | logo = | logo_width = | logo_alt = | image = S3 nach Friedrichshagen im Bahnhof Alexanderplatz.jpg | image_width = | image_alt = | caption = | type = | system = Berlin S-Bahn | status = | locale = Berlin | start = | end = | stations = | routes = | daily_ridership = | ridership2 = | planopen = | open = | yearcommenced = | yearcompleted = | close = | event1label = | event1 = | event2label = | event2 = | event3label = | event3 = | owner = | operator = S-Bahn Berlin GmbH | character = | depot = | stock = DBAG Class 481

DBAG Class 480 | linelength_km = | linelength_mi = | linelength = | tracklength_km = | tracklength_mi = | tracklength = | tracks = | old_gauge = | load_gauge = | minradius = | racksystem = | routenumber = | linenumber = | electrification = 750 V DC Third rail | speed_km/h = | speed_mph = | speed = | signalling = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation = | website = | map = | map_name = | map_state = uncollapsed | embedded =

S3 is a line on the Berlin S-Bahn. It operates from Erkner to Spandau. For most of its existence since becoming a numbered route in 1984, the S3's line has been coloured blue.

S3 originally was shortened to Ostbahnhof from 2003 to 2009 while awaiting renovation works. To compensate for the diminished throughput on the Stadtbahn, the (formerly Erkner ↔ Ostbahnhof) was extended westwards to Spandau. Then, it was temporarily shortened again to Ostkreuz.

Service history

The S3 was created along with the S1 and S2 on 9 January 1984, when the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) took over the S-Bahn network from the East German Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) in West Berlin: the S3 initially ran between Friedrichstraße and Charlottenburg, before being extended south-westwards to Wannsee on 1 May 1984.

Due to the reunification of Germany, the S3 briefly became a four-coloured line on 1 July 1990, absorbing the DR S-Bahn services formerly terminating at Friedrichstraße to (orange), (yellow), (green), and Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld (sky blue, now BER Airport – Terminal 5). On 2 June 1991, the S3 was broken-up into the following lines:

::data[format=table]

Old route	New route	Line	Termini	Line	Termini
	Westkreuz–		Wannsee–
	Wannsee–		Unchanged
	Wannsee–		Charlottenburg–
	Charlottenburg–Berlin Schönefeld Airport		Westkreuz–Berlin Schönefeld Airport
::

References

References

1. (27 June 2008). "S-Bahn Network Map". [[Berlin S-Bahn.
2. (10 March 2012). "Historical Maps: West and East Berlin, 1984". Cameron Booth.
3. (9 June 2021). "How the S-Bahn got its numbers". Deutsche Bahn.
4. (November 1990). "Berliner Nahverkehrsnetz – Schnellbahnnetz". Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe.
5. (June 1991). "Region Berlin – Schnellbahnnetz". Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::