“Why is it called Biesdorfer Kreuz and what is so special about it?” you might ask. The Biesdorfer Kreuz is an impressive railway junction. It orchestrates the complex dance of trains in eastern Berlin.
The Biesdorfer Kreuz owes its name to its location. It sits just west of the Biesdorf district. The name reflects its function as a railway intersection.
Here, the east-west Berlin–Küstrin-Kietz border railway line crosses the Berlin outer ring. The outer ring runs north-south in this area. These main lines have connecting curves at the Biesdorfer Kreuz. These curves let trains travel in every direction.
Besides the main railway intersection, there is also a branch of the S-Bahn lines. These S-Bahn lines run from Berlin-Friedrichsfelde Ost. They split towards Springpfuhl and Biesdorf.
Biesdorfer Kreuz also refers to the control center. This control center manages the immediate intersection tracks. It also manages its connecting curves. Further, it remotely controls adjacent stations and junctions. These include Berlin-Hohenschönhausen and Berlin-Marzahn on the main line. The control center also manages Biesdorfer Kreuz Nord. For the S-Bahn, it oversees Springpfuhl and Berlin-Marzahn.
The history of the Biesdorfer Kreuz is complex. The first railway line near today’s Biesdorfer Kreuz was the Prussian Eastern Railway. It opened on October 1, 1867. It ran from Berlin’s old Ostbahnhof via Strausberg to Küstrin.
In 1898, the branch line from Berlin to Wriezen opened. It branched off near today’s Friedrichsfelde Ost station. From there, it ran directly via Marzahn to Ahrensfelde.
As long-distance traffic increased, a direct connection to Berlin’s Stadtbahn became desirable. The VnK line was built for this purpose. It connected Kaulsdorf station south of today’s Biesdorfer Kreuz. It linked Rummelsburg with the Stadtbahn.
Electric operations began on the Eastern Railway’s suburban tracks on November 6, 1928. This ran between Schlesischer Bahnhof and Kaulsdorf. Since December 15, 1930, S-Bahn trains have run to Mahlsdorf.
Before World War I, plans existed for a bypass railway around Berlin. This was mainly for freight and military transport. Parts of this railway were built west of Berlin. Further construction in the east did not happen initially.
The “Third Reich” revived this project. This was partly for freight needs. It also aligned with Hitler and Speer’s plans to create the world capital “Germania”. The Southern and Eastern sections of the freight outer ring were built. It opened provisionally after World War II began.
After the war, Germany had to provide extensive reparations. One track of the double-track Eastern Railway was dismantled. It was transported to the Soviet Union.
The need for efficient railway lines bypassing West Berlin grew with Germany’s division. The freight outer ring between Biesenhorst and Karow was rebuilt by April 1, 1950. In the following years, the Berlin outer ring was created. It allowed the Reichsbahn to bypass West Berlin completely.
The Biesdorfer Kreuz, as we know it today, largely came into existence in the 1970s. The first construction phase opened on September 26, 1971. Further phases followed in January 1975 and March 1980. The S-Bahn was moved from the north to the south side of the Eastern Railway’s main tracks.
After the Biesdorfer Kreuz expansion, new travel options from the southern outer ring to the Eastern Railway became available. The eastern part of the VnK line became obsolete.
In November 2019, the S-Bahn lines at the Biesdorfer Kreuz were upgraded with ESTW technology. In early 2021, an electronic signal box for the main line followed.
Today, the Biesdorfer Kreuz remains a vital railway junction. It facilitates the smooth flow of trains in and around Berlin. It connects various parts of the city and beyond. The railways continue to evolve, but the Biesdorfer Kreuz remains a key point.