When I first got to Berlin, I frequently missed my train or ended up going in the wrong direction. Once I even fell asleep and found myself in a different state (Berlin’s surrounding state, Brandenburg)! But now I feel like an expert. I know which routes are the fastest, which have the fewest number of transfers and alternatives I can take if one breaks down.
Absolutely! Berliners pride themselves on the efficiency of their public transport. The U-bahn/S-bahn system is very connected to the culture and history of the city. For starters, the nature of the train system represents the personality of the German people. Most Germans are very organized and like to be on time. The train stations also have a very organized layout around the city, and the trains are very rarely running late. Additionally, the train lines speak to Berlin’s history. As you might know, Berlin was an important place during World War II. When World War II ended, the Soviet Union, France, the UK and the U.S. split ownership of Berlin into 2 parts: the Soviet Union in the East, and France, the UK and the U.S. in the West. When Berlin was divided this way, the U5 line of the U-bahn was only allowed in East Berlin and the U2 (the line I live near) was only allowed in West Berlin. After Berlin was reunified in 1990, the U-bahn lines were redesigned so that everyone could access the entire city!
